Sweet Dreams
by Anonymous Being
Summary: "His kiss felt familiar, like they'd done this before; but it had to be a dream because she couldn't imagine Zoro ever taking the initiative to cross the unspoken boundaries between them." When Nami's dreams start to get a little too real, the crew begins to wonder if they're actually dreams at all. ZoNa fluff! M for violence, language and adult situations.
1. Just a Bad Dream

**Disclaimer: **Of course I don't own One Piece; but Oda said that I could borrow it for a moment. Okay, that's a lie. All rights go to the incredibly talented Eiichiro Oda. Hoping you get well (and stay well this time) soon!

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 1: Just a Bad Dream_

Canon fire filled the air with acrid smoke, blocking out the sun and cloaking everything in an ominous gray. She couldn't see and she didn't know where she was. She could hear her captain shouting in the distance, laughing as he took on the rival captain that had started this whole thing. Her lungs were burning and she suddenly realized why. She couldn't breathe. Her body went numb with fear, or maybe from the frigid temperature of the water…. Water. Her vision cleared and she became aware of what was happening. She was drowning. Against her better judgment she opened her mouth to scream for help but the only thing she succeeded in doing was losing precious air, bubbles erupting from her mouth instead of words. The water was crushing her lungs, or at least that's how it felt and her head began to spin from lack of oxygen. _'Luffy…'_ Her tears mixed with the salty water of the sea. _'Sanji…'_ Her vision began to blur and darken.

"Zoro!"

The sound of someone shouting out the swordsman's name wrenched Nami from her nightmare. She was covered in a sheen of cold sweat, her heart racing and her head pounding.

"Oi."

She jumped at the deep sound of Zoro's voice and suddenly remembered where she was. They had stumbled across a small patch of land the day before. It was a little too small to really call an island but large enough to harbor a sizeable beach, numerous trees and fresh fruit. Aside from animals the place was deserted and the Straw Hats had decided to stay for a few days and relax. It was a nice break from all the trouble they usually found themselves in. She remembered eating dinner and then falling asleep next to Robin, but it seemed that the archaeologist had somehow ended up next to Franky and Nami looked around to find herself between Luffy and Zoro around the fire.

The entire crew was sleeping peacefully despite Luffy's obnoxious snoring; everyone except for Zoro who was sitting upright with his back to the fire beside her, clearly keeping watch over his sleeping nakama. It made her feel safe, but she wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon. Nami had experienced that nightmare before in pieces but nothing so vivid. It had only started happening the week before. She couldn't recall ever being aware that she was drowning which meant the dreams were escalating. It was terrifying.

"You okay?"

She couldn't see his face since his front half was facing away from the light of the fire but she could hear the concern in his gruff voice.

"Of course I am," she lied, "why?"

The swordsman's shoulder went up in a shrug, not buying it.

"You yelled my name in your sleep."

Nami's cheeks immediately colored in embarrassment when it dawned on her that the voice that woke her up was her own.

"You sounded scared."

Zoro continued even though she wasn't answering. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Nami wrapped her arms around them and sighed.

"Just a bad dream."

It was more than that. Zoro could tell but he didn't push the conversation any further. Even though they argued a lot there was never any real hatred in their words. In the end they were still friends, and Zoro never liked to see his friends in distress.

"You should try to go back to sleep."

He had a point. She was exhausted and the sun wouldn't be up for at least four hours still, but she was afraid of having that dream again…. Of resuming it where she'd left off.

"I'm not really that tired."

Nami lied unconvincingly and flashed him a small smile as if to prove it. It didn't surprise her when the swordsman turned and gave her a look that said she couldn't fool him, the eyebrow of his good eye lifting in slight amusement. It made her angry until he spoke again.

"I'll wake you up if you have another nightmare."

There was no teasing in his tone. Zoro was serious. It was his way of protecting her like he always did, even in her dreams. After a few moments of consideration Nami finally nodded and laid back down, frowning when she noticed that her drooling captain had rolled over part way into her sleeping space. He was most likely dreaming about meat since he was attempting to bite into her pillow like it was a giant ham. Rolling her eyes, she scooted away from Luffy a little with a sigh of irritation. Now her pillow was soaked in saliva and half of her sleeping mat was taken over by a man who would not be easy to move. She ended up scooting slightly onto Zoro's sleeping mat that he was only sitting on anyway; attempting to drag her blanket with her but Luffy was lying on top of it.

"Luffy…" She grumbled between clenched teeth while a vein in her temple throbbed in annoyance. The rubber man didn't budge. Zoro suddenly shifted without a word to allow her more space on his sleeping mat and she offered him a grateful smile in return, scooting over as far as the closely spaced crew members would allow and putting several inches between herself and Luffy. The move pressed her up against Zoro's sitting form a little but the swordsman said nothing as he passed over his dry pillow and blanket. He didn't plan on sleeping until morning anyway. In a rare moment of selflessness, Nami covered his lap with half of the blanket as a thank you and fell asleep within a matter of minutes, secretly comforted by the heat that radiated from Zoro's solid form. Her nightmare didn't return.

When she woke up a few hours later Sanji was preparing breakfast and Zoro was napping under a nearby tree. He had moved away from her just before the cook woke up to spare them both from his overreaction. If Sanji noticed that Nami was sleeping on Zoro's mat wrapped up in his bedding, he said nothing. Robin was already awake and sipping her usual morning cup of coffee while reading the paper. Franky was hauling firewood from the forest and Luffy, Usopp, Chopper and Brook were still sprawled out on the ground asleep. Her poor pillow was dripping with drool and bitten in half. She would have to remember not to sleep anywhere near Luffy next time. She took the time to roll Zoro's mat, blanket and pillow up into a neat little bundle before setting it near the rest of the bedding not in use and joining Robin at the table the boys had set up on the beach for meals.

"Nami-Swan!"

Sanji was at her side in a handful of seconds, donning a tray with delicious looking breakfast treats and her usual morning smoothie.

"Good morning, Sanji-kun."

Nami smiled brightly, sneaking a glance in the swordsman's direction. Zoro was snoring loudly with his arms crossed over his chest and his swords propped up beside him at arm's length. Nothing had changed. She thought for sure he would find a way to hold the embarrassing events from last night over her head and a pang of guilt stabbed into her for making that assumption. Zoro just wasn't like that. She didn't dwell on the nightmare any longer as Sanji presented her with food and the crew instantly came alive. Luffy was on his feet before the plate even hit the table, whining about how hungry he was and attempting to snatch food from Nami or Robin's tray. Several hard kicks later and the captain was seated obediently at the table waiting for his food, painful lumps sprouting out of his head.

As the day progressed the memory of her nightmare vanished little bits at a time until she felt like her old self again. Sometime after lunch Luffy, Chopper and Usopp started up a game of tag with Brook and Sanji joined the girls and Franky for a dip in the water to cool off. It had to be at least ninety degrees out with no breeze to quell the heat. Luffy quickly followed wrapped in every floatation device imaginable. Sanji had to keep going after him when the captain ventured a little too far out to sea and began to drift into open water. Eventually Franky and Robin challenged Nami to a game of chicken. She never could resist a challenge.

She couldn't exactly ask Luffy to be her partner since his strength to hold her up would vanish the moment he stepped into the water, and he didn't possess the greatest attention span anyway. The only reason Robin was able to play without being affected was because Franky was tall enough that she didn't touch the water while sitting on his shoulders. Sanji was also out of the question since the pervy cook would probably die from blood loss halfway through the game. His nosebleeds weren't nearly as severe as they were on Fishman Island but she wasn't taking any chances. It took some doing but eventually she succeeded in coercing their sleepy swordsman into being her partner by offering to lower his debt a little and Nami managed to drag Zoro out into the water where Franky and Robin were waiting. Even though he looked less than amused, Nami could tell that Zoro wasn't entirely put off by his participation in the game.

They had been the first two people to travel with Luffy and that in itself formed a special bond between them. He could put on the irritated expression if he wanted but Nami knew him. He couldn't con a con-woman. He loved his nakama and even though he and Nami didn't always get along, they made an excellent team. The swordsman held out his hands to help her onto his shoulders and then firmly gripped her legs once she was comfortably seated, one thigh on each side of his head. Pulling back long orange locks, Nami secured them into a pony tail to keep it out of her face and signaled to start the game.

There was really no contest when you put the two of them together. Even though Franky was massive and Robin could sprout some extra helping hands, Zoro's strength and balance were unmatched and Nami's determination to stay on his shoulders was impressive. Zoro's expression remained indifferent as Robin and Nami attempted to knock each other off of their partners, but eventually the green-haired man cracked a smirk when the navigator cheered triumphantly as Robin fell off into the water. She laughed when the archaeologist was scooped up out of the sea by Franky with an amused smile on her face, challenging the duo to another round.

It wasn't until they were headed for bed that her good mood began to disappear. The very idea of going to sleep put her on edge and the nightmare clawed at the back of her mind to remind her of what was waiting for her in the night. Nami found herself once more placed next to Zoro but she made sure that Luffy was on the other side of the fire. Chopper had taken his place on her other side instead. No one asked Zoro to keep watch since it really wasn't necessary on such a solitary island. The swordsman did it of his own accord. His stoic figure sat next to her in the inky blackness with only the moon to illuminate his presence. It was warm enough tonight to forego the fire and so they had allowed it to burn down into little more than coals.

Resting against her new pillow, Nami stared at him for several minutes, tossing and turning on her mat. She was tired but she didn't want to go to sleep. Normally being surrounded by her friends would make her feel completely at ease but tonight she felt unbearably alone. No one could protect her in her own mind… Not even Zoro. The swordsman shifted and set his swords down right next to her in between them as if to remind her of his words from the night before. Even though he didn't look at her the gesture soothed her nerves just a little and allowed her to finally fall asleep.

**[][][][]**

She was so stupid. She should've stayed near the others where she was safe but the lure of treasure had always been her undoing. Her friends were strong; they could handle the battle by themselves. Their enemies were cowards anyway, attacking them in their sleep like that. If Zoro hadn't been awake to warn them they would've been in big trouble. The sound of gunfire could be heard in the distance where the morons were still trying to pierce Luffy with bullets. Apparently they hadn't learned the first time he bounced the projectiles back at them. Despite their crew of two hundred men they were losing pretty pathetically and Nami took the opportunity to pick a few pockets.

Something told her to stay with her friends but as usual the navigator didn't listen. The enemy ship wasn't bigger than the Sunny but even a small amount of treasure had its value. No one really paid attention to her as she easily snuck past rival pirates and climbed the rope into their ship. There was a reason they called her a cat burglar after all. As smart as she was, Nami's critical thinking was always a little clouded when dollar signs swam into her vision and she hadn't prepared for the ship to be guarded. She was feeling pretty stupid when a pair of frighteningly strong arms wrapped around her middle and hauled her off of her feet. She tried to scream but her attacker was quick to shove a piece of soiled cloth that made her gag into her mouth and bound another piece around her mouth to muffle her attempts. _Stupid stupid stupid!_ Nami shouted to herself and struggled to get her arms free to reach her clima tact. Her shoulders screamed in protest and nearly came out of their sockets when the man jerked her hands behind her back roughly and tied her wrists together. A sweep under her legs sent her falling to the ground on her bottom hard, the shock of the wood floor rocketing through her body and leaving searing pain in its wake.

"Nami the cat burglar," the massive man stepped in front of her and grinned, eyes flashing dangerously, "you're much prettier in person."

Her only response was to glare at him since she couldn't really say what she wanted to say. She wasn't worried. The crew would notice she was missing and come to her rescue before the bastard even had time to finish his sentence.

"You know what we do to thieves?"

She ignored his words and the fear that began to well up in her gut as he knelt in front of her and shackled her legs together with heavy iron weights. Her friends were coming…. They had to.

"They say that drowning is one of the most painful ways to go," he continued but Nami refused to even look at him. She wouldn't panic… She would be okay, "that you can feel your organs shutting down one by one and your lungs filling up with water."

Her heart began to race as ice cold fear started clawing at her. Were they all too distracted with the fight to notice she wasn't there? What if they didn't make it in time? Her eyes widened in panic and she struggled again when the man hauled her to her feet with those beefy arms around her middle again, dragging her wriggling form over to the side of the ship where the water was deepest. _No, no… No!_ Her own mental screaming nearly drowned out the sounds of her assailant fighting to move her. She was stronger than she looked.

The pain in her arms increased as she worked to free her wrists. The idiot had secured them with rope instead of shackles and she squeezed her eyes shut against the pain as she made one last desperate attempt to save herself. Her scream of agony was muffled as one of her shoulders dislocated but the snapping sound of rope was music to her ears. Ripping the dirty cloth from her mouth, Nami whirled on the pirate and used all of her strength to shove him away from her, clawing at his naked chest when he tried to grab her again and leaving trails of blood in his skin.

"Nami!"

Why did he sound so familiar? It made her panic even more and she tried to claw at his eyes to blind him but the man caught her wrists to stop her. She nearly lost her balance since her ankles were still bound but she wasn't going to die here.

"Nami!"

He shouted again in frustration and she fought harder, tears blurring her vision of his face so much so that for a moment he almost looked like Zoro.

"Oi, Nami! Wake up!"

The sounds of gunfire vanished along with the weights on her legs. Zoro was standing in front of her, holding her hands flat against his bleeding chest with a firm grip around her wrists. He seemed unfazed by the jagged claw marks in his skin and was instead staring at her with immense concern. She was trembling as the dream disappeared and reality set in. Her fingernails were caked in blood and she was crying. They seemed to be down the beach at least half a mile from their camp site since their friends seemed more like dots in the distance where they still slept.

"Are you okay?"

Zoro murmured and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her eyes begin to clear. He loosened his grip on her wrists but didn't let her go. She was shaking so violently that he thought she might topple over if he released her completely.

"You were sleep walking."

He said it so simply that more tears sprang into her horrified eyes. He should've been upset with her for ripping up his chest and trying to claw his face off but instead he was worried about her. She could still feel the burning in her shoulder from where she'd popped it out of place but she knew it wasn't real. The nightmares were getting worse and each night they grew more vivid. What was happening to her? Without a word of explanation she allowed her head to fall against Zoro's bloody chest, burying her arms between them and clinging to him like a lifeline while she quivered. The swordsman tensed at first at a loss for what to do. Eventually he wrapped her up in a solid embrace that was no longer unsure and simply allowed her to take the comfort he was offering. He hadn't seen her like this since their battle with Arlong and it threw him for a loop. Nami was a strong and prideful woman who very rarely allowed herself to fall apart. Something was seriously wrong. He sighed and squeezed his friend a little tighter.

"Just a bad dream, huh?"

**[][][][]**

**A/N: **This story is dedicated to **fmdevil**, **KimuraMinami** and **Oceanwind**. You guys have been awesome at checking up on me from time to time and encouraging me to write more ZoNa with your flattering words. You're great friends who love my work and I love you all for it. Cover image credit goes to the very talented Meru90 of Deviantart.

She's aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive! XD Did you miss me?! I apologize for my lengthy absence ZoNa fans. I really don't have much of an excuse other than I've been catching up on One Piece and writing a book in my free time, but I'm back! Thank you to the best Captain and beta a girl could ask for (**Oceanwind**) for polishing this story until it shined. I'm absolutely in love with this plot and I hope that you all love it so far too. On a random note, I just finished getting through the Fishman Island arc (sort of. I'm already caught up and waiting for new episodes) and although it took a little getting used to, I have fallen in love with Zoro's new look finally (I tend to read/watch ahead sometimes so I already knew what he looked like but I missed the old look until the battle in that particular arc). That damn scarred eye when he's got Wado between his teeth and grins… -swoons- and that moment in Punk Hazard where he stops Nami from falling on her rear by grabbing onto her hand . Even though it was technically Sanji it was so sweet. Zoro just always has to save her. XD Thank you for reading and please review! I love hearing from you guys! Happy reading!

- B.


	2. Don't Tell the Others

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 2: Don't Tell the Others_

She thought for sure she was strong enough to keep her tears at bay, but the moment the swordsman's arms closed around her she crumbled. She didn't have the willpower to hold it all together and pretend she was okay; so she cried-_sobbed_ until she ran out of tears and her throat was sore. Zoro was never really great when it came to girls and their emotions, but to his credit he remained where he was. His presence was solid and reassuring and Nami was thankful that it was him. She loved all of her nakama but most of them would've tried to cheer her up with jokes and that wasn't what she needed right now. She needed silence and support, and that's what Zoro gave her.

They were probably standing there for a good ten minutes but it felt more like hours before her shaking finally ceased and little sniffles replaced her tears. She pushed a hand against his chest to pull away and left it there. Zoro's embrace loosened in response but he didn't let her go completely. He was pretty sure she still needed that little bit of contact. He may not have been good with emotions but the swordsman had always been perceptive. He spotted the frown on her face and followed her eyes to his chest where she was staring at the angry red marks. They stung a little but he would live.

"Want to talk about it?"

His question was almost a whisper even though they were far enough down the beach that no one would hear their conversation. Nami shook her head in silence before glancing up at him. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying but the thing that tugged at him the most was the fear in her expression. What could she be dreaming about that would unravel her like this? It bothered Zoro that he couldn't just beat the shit out of this thing that was terrifying her like he usually did. He felt useless.

"Don't tell the others."

Her voice was hoarse but for the most part the navigator had calmed down. He wanted to protest that they should at least tell Chopper what was going on but her eyes were pleading with him to agree and if there was one look that didn't look right on Nami, it was pleading. His heart softened just a little and he mentally cursed. His friends really were his weakness.

"Or I'll have to charge you."

With that comment Zoro rolled his good eye, the softening in his expression quickly replaced with a look of irritation. It was good to see that she was back to her old self so quickly but for once he wished Nami would just put aside the playful banter and let him help her work this out. Something was terribly wrong here. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something told him they needed to figure it out fast before she got hurt. It wasn't his secret to tell though, and Zoro's jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, reluctantly nodding in agreement.

"I won't, but I think you should at least talk to Chopper about it."

Nami was shaking her head no before he could even finish his sentence, causing Zoro to sigh. Dropping the argument for now, he suddenly ruffled her hair until it was a tangled mess and casually draped an arm over her shoulders as he led her back toward camp. She didn't remove his arm but he caught the scowl she sent in his direction followed by a sharp jab to his ribs.

"Touch my hair again and I'll double your debt."

"… You live on the ocean… and you're worried about your hair?" Zoro scoffed, ignoring the debt comment. Nami often liked to hide behind it as a shield to mask her awkwardness or how much she cared about certain things.

"It isn't short anymore. It takes a lot of work to look this good all the time," Nami told him matter of factly, flattening the mess he had made and giving him a teasing smile. She flipped her hair over her shoulder with an indigent huff, "and I for one like to look nice all the time."

"Are you saying I don't?" he growled. "You sound more and more like that love cook every day."

At least he knew she wasn't really upset over it, and the soft smile and playful banter reassured him that at least she was okay now. She had an amazing recovery rate; he didn't need to worry about her. Still he found his curiosity starting to burn as he looked down at the fresh marks on his chest.

**[][][][]**

"Zoro! What happened to your chest?!"

Chopper gasped in panic as he eyed the ugly marks that streaked the swordsman's torso. Morning brought with it the unavoidable fact that his wounds needed to be disinfected and the little doctor had already woken up the crew members who weren't already awake screeching for a doctor. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at him, waiting for an answer. He didn't look at her but he could feel Nami looking at him too, her worried eyes practically burning holes into his face.

"I fell into a blackberry bush."

His answer was nonchalant but he felt stupid for saying it. It wasn't his best excuse. The mighty Roronoa Zoro had stumbled into a bush and that bush had kicked his ass. It sounded ridiculous. Chopper eyed him curiously for a second.

"They look like fingernail scratches."

Their ever observant doctor murmured mostly to himself and Zoro shot him an irritated look.

"Well they're not," he grumbled, avoiding the doctor's eyes. Zoro was not a very good liar. Luffy's sudden hysterical laughter broke the tension and sealed the swordsman's explanation as absolute fact.

"Zoro! You're so stupid!"

Luffy howled with laughter and Zoro rolled his eye in the captain's direction, holding back the smile that threatened to pull at his lips.

"Even a blackberry bush can best your ass, eh, Marimo?" Sanji scoffed as he tapped a cigarette out of his pack and lit up.

Zoro glared at him and bared his teeth. Somehow he managed to look intimidating even while sitting on the ground with their little doctor dabbing at his chest with antiseptic.

"You wanna go, Nosebleed?"

The snarled comment got a rise out of Sanji immediately, who nearly bit his freshly lit cigarette in half as he whirled on the swordsman.

"Don't call me nosebleed, dumbass!"

His tone was defensive but angry and Zoro only smirked at him, effectively drawing the attention away from his wounds.

He had promised Nami he'd keep his mouth shut and he was a man of his word. The navigator visibly relaxed in his peripheral vision as Chopper finished cleaning him up and the rest of the crew began to pack their belongings back to the Sunny to start heading to the next island; except for Luffy who was now rolling with laughter at the memory of Sanji's Fishman Island nosebleeds. It hadn't been funny at the time since the cook had nearly died but they could laugh about it now. Only Robin saw the blood caked underneath Nami's fingernails that the ocean water hadn't been able to scrub away, her eyebrow lifting slightly in curiosity.

After everything was secured onto the Sunny the crew cast one last look at the little stretch of land. The relaxation had been nice but they had places to go and dreams to fulfill. Eventually the island disappeared from sight and Nami took the wheel to turn them in the direction they needed to go. Normally she would make one of the boys do it but they were already preoccupied with other tasks she had assigned to them. Bending down to adjust one of the straps on her shoes, the little golden chain of the necklace she had managed to get for free on the previous island snagged on one of the wheel pegs. When she stood up the clasp snapped and the small round crystal charm went clattering to the deck.

She scowled at the wheel as if the Sunny had broken the necklace on purpose. Zoro appeared a moment later from spreading the sails and scooped up the charm to hand it to her. The navigator hadn't taken the thing off since last week when she got it and he could almost feel the anger radiating from her rigid form.

"I could fix that for you, sis." Franky was the next to pop up from his task, gesturing to the now useless sliver of gold chain dangling from her neck. With a nod and a sigh of relief, Nami gingerly bundled the chain and crystal charm into her hand before passing it over to the cyborg. The piece of jewelry felt unusually heavy when she wasn't wearing it. After the shipwright vanished again, most likely to go find Robin, a somewhat awkward silence settled between her and the swordsman.

"Do you have watch tonight?"

She didn't feel uncomfortable around Zoro, quite the opposite in fact, but for some reason silence between them seemed too intimate now after the last two nights. His reply was a simple nod before the swordsman plopped down on the deck against the side of the ship and settled down for a nap. A hard rap to the top of his head woke him up just as he began to doze.

"What the hell, woman!"

"I was talking to you, moron!"

"You're always talking!"

"You're always sleeping!"

The bickering pair was interrupted when Robin suddenly breezed past them after watching the scene unfold for a few minutes. Her quiet chuckle barely even registered to either Straw Hat as they stared each other down. It was her statement that made them stop.

"You could always scratch him again, Nami-San. I would recommend the back this time, though. It's much easier to hide."

Nami's cheeks burned as she laughed nervously and waved her hands in front of her to explain. The bridge of Zoro's nose darkened ever so slightly as he joined in on vehemently denying what Robin was implying.

"N-no. It's not like that at all, Robin."

Nami stammered nervously but the archaeologist only giggled, flashing a little knowing smile before she sauntered off. They avoided each other for the rest of the day to hopefully stifle any future misunderstandings, but as Sanji announced dinner and darkness began to descend on the sea it took some resistance to stay away from Zoro. He was the only one who knew about her nightmares so far and part of her wanted to tell him everything, but a bigger part of her was afraid that he wouldn't understand. They were just dreams after all. She just needed to buck up and get over it.

Dinner was always a big event on the Sunny. Rubber hands were flying everywhere and happy chatter filled the dining space. It was usually loud since everyone was attempting to talk over each other or excitedly contributing to one conversation. Nami was the only one who wasn't speaking. Her food was left untouched but she pushed the mashed potatoes and grilled fish around on her plate to make it look like she had eaten a few bites. She didn't even notice when everyone else stopped talking to stare at her; all of them wearing matching expressions of concern.

"Nami-San, you're unusually quiet tonight and I see that you've barely touched your food; although I don't have eyes to see with! Yohohohoho!"

Brook observed and frowned with worry. Well at least as well as a skeleton could frown. She felt a nudge against her leg under the table and glanced in Zoro's direction. He was silently encouraging her to tell them. They were her friends and they would try to help her as best they could, but Nami wasn't ready to talk about it.

"I'm alright. I just didn't sleep well last night."

It wasn't exactly a lie but it definitely wasn't the entire truth.

"It was probably from sleeping in the sand. Your supple skin is far too soft to sleep on the ground, Nami-San," Sanji soothed with adoration in his voice. Nami offered him a smile but shook her head.

"I just had a bad dream."

That was as much detail as she was willing to give and everyone except for Zoro and Sanji were willing to accept it. Zoro said nothing but Sanji immediately knelt down beside her.

"Nami-San. If you need comfort at night I volunteer myself to sit at your bedside while you sleep."

Nami rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly and struggled to find the words to let the cook down easy. Zoro scoffed from beside her.

"That would really give her nightmares."

She tried not to laugh at the remark but the smile that immediately brightened her features gave it away. Sanji stopped fawning over her and the two men went at it while the rest of the crew ignored them and began to eat again, Nami included.

**[][][][]**

The navigator disappeared after saying her goodnights once dinner was finished but everyone assumed that she was either going to bed or going to work on her maps. Robin and Franky snuck off together when Sanji wasn't looking. They'd be in the library for the rest of the night with the door locked. Once the others began to head for bed, Zoro made his way toward the crow's nest for the night. It had been a few hours now since dinner and he hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should go and check on Nami. He figured she would seek him out if she needed him and so he shrugged it off for now.

He planned to spend the majority of the evening training while he kept watch, so he was entirely unprepared when he stepped into the room and spotted the silhouette of someone lying on the bench against the wall. He didn't have to turn on the light to know who it was. He could smell her; parchment, ink and tangerines. Taking a few silent steps to close the gap between them, he found the navigator fast asleep on the bench with a book awkwardly wedged between her face and a pillow. It was obvious she had been waiting for him to come up here but the exhaustion of the last few nights had taken over.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Zoro felt himself smile a little. For some reason she seemed to feel comforted by his presence even though her dreams didn't change no matter how close he was. It looked like Nami was going to hold him to his word and stick around so that he could wake her up if she began to struggle in her sleep. As carefully as he could he lifted her head and removed the book before settling her back down onto the pillow, absentmindedly moving a stray lock of orange hair out of her face. He knew that if he left her that way there would be hell to pay when she woke up with a stiff neck. Somewhere in the back of his mind he marveled at the contrast of such soft skin against his own calloused fingers. How she managed to keep it that soft in the salty sea air was a mystery to him. Nami shifted just a little, rolling over onto her side instead of her stomach but it was enough to make Zoro jump back and stop touching her. He really didn't need another chunk of change under his ever growing tally of debt to her and he wasn't sure why he was bothering to touch her in the first place.

He turned his back to her and moved over to the other side of the room to grab a set of dumbbells, completely oblivious to the pair of chocolate eyes that opened and looked at him in surprise. His dominating presence gave her a sense of security that allowed her to relax and shrug off the hair thing for now, her eyes falling shut once more. The sounds of clanking weights and the scent of sweat and metal lulled Nami into a fitful sleep without nightmares moments later.

**[][][][]**

**A/N: **Two updates in one week! Shocking for me but I hope y'all enjoy it. I actually have five chapters (just finished chapter 5 yesterday and so far it's my favorite. You guys will really enjoy it. ;D) of this story already completed so I thought I would surprise you with a quick update. Just don't expect it to happen all the time. My updates should never exceed two weeks, though. I know that Zoro seems pretty soft at the end of this chapter but keep in mind that our favorite swordsman does tend to be at least a LITTLE soft when he's worried about his friends. Plus he thought for sure that Nami was asleep and therefore unaware of what he was doing anyway.

I woke up to a pleasant surprise yesterday morning! **Prinzack** of both here as well as Deviantart whipped up some fan art of the scene in Chapter 1 where Zoro and Nami are playing chicken. It turned out exactly as I imagined the scene and she's seriously talented so I wanted to share it with all of you. You'll have to find the link on my profile page since it won't allow me to post it here. Thanks as usual for reading everyone! Please review! It's not the end of the world if you don't but it's nice to know if you're enjoying the story or not. Happy reading!

- B.


	3. Oncoming Storm

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 3: Oncoming Storm_

A week had passed since their departure from the island and the next one was still a few days ahead of them. One night in the crow's nest with Zoro had been enough for Nami. She appreciated how discrete he was being about her dreams and how he wasn't pressing for an explanation but the swordsman was a little too loud when he worked out. Labored breathing, clanking weights and groans of exertion kept the navigator from sleeping for more than an hour at a time and she was practically useless the following day in her exhausted state.

As much as she feared sleeping without him there to wake her up when the nightmares struck, she needed her rest. If anyone needed to be the most alert on a pirate ship, it was the navigator. The rest of the nights that week were spent in her own bed. Much to Nami's surprise, the nightmare didn't return. She couldn't remember a single evening in the week before where she didn't have that dream; until now. She couldn't complain. It was nice to feel normal again.

A week without nightmares left her feeling refreshed and more like herself. After the first few days she began to chalk the dreams up to nothing more than stress. She knew that as long as her friends were around she wouldn't be drowning any time soon and so she tucked them into the back of her mind where they were practically forgotten.

They were two days away from the next island when an explosion woke Nami from sleep. For a moment she thought that maybe Luffy was trying to steal food again and Sanji was just booting him from the kitchen until she heard it again. It was so loud that she jumped up instinctually. The ship was rocking violently and it dawned on her that it wasn't an explosion. It was thunder. Still in the little cotton shorts and tank top that she often wore to bed, Nami shot out the door in a panic; barefoot and trying to pull on a jacket as she ran.

The violent storm had hit them out of nowhere. Sheets of rain poured down and drenched the navigator immediately, matting orange hair to her face and neck. Some of the guys were already up and trying to do their best to save the ship in the chaos. Luffy and Sanji were wrestling with the sails. They always furled them during the night but the wind had snapped the rope that secured them and now they were flailing like sheets on a clothesline. They needed to get them bundled up again before the wind ripped the fabric but the rocking of the ship made the task a challenge. Zoro was balanced on the side of the Sunny where the lever was located to lift the anchor but it wasn't coming up automatically like it usually did. It had broken in the storm and the swordsman was currently fighting with the sea to pull the weight up manually.

Franky was down below the ship attempting to fix the anchor's mechanic system and the others were either still asleep or taking cover inside. Another boom of thunder shook the air and knocked her teeth together; lightning snapped about a mile to their left. Massive waves tossed the ship from side to side and Nami darted up the stairs and across the upper deck to reach the helm. Her bare feet slipped on the soaking floor and the wind had her struggling to keep her balance with every step she took. She flung herself at the wheel and gripped the pegs for dear life until she felt her footing was strong enough to hold her in place.

They needed to get out of the direct line of the waves. If they struck the ship from the side they could capsize. Their best bet was to turn the prow of the ship toward the wake and ride it out. Turning the wheel felt like trying to open a tight jar of food. It resisted at first but then finally budged under her persistent hands, slowly shifting the Sunny in the direction they needed to go.

"Franky!" she barked.

Nami could barely hear her own voice over the howling of the wind but the cyborg popped up from below in recognition. She was still fighting to keep the wheel turned to the right away from the lightning.

"Coup de burst!"

It was all she could manage to shout at him since her breath was already labored from the fight to the wheel but Franky nodded his head in understanding, fully emerging from below deck to take the wheel from her.

"Hang on to something!" The speedo clad pervert bellowed loudly in warning.

Luffy and Sanji finally managed to secure the sails and they gripped the mast to keep from flying off. Zoro was still pulling up the last of the anchor but if need be he could grab onto the railing. Nami fought the wind again to reach the side of the ship and the swordsman noticed her out of the corner of his eye. She fell once and nearly lost her balance again once she regained her footing. Her bare feet continued to slip on the slick surface of the deck and Zoro reached out a hand for her to grab so he could pull her out of the wind.

She stretched to reach him. The rain soaked them all to the bone and made it difficult to see. Their fingertips brushed and Nami let out a sigh of relief at the contact until the ship suddenly lurched violently to the side. A massive wave had crashed into the left side of the ship and water rushed onto the deck, knocking her off of her feet with a frightened scream and sending her tumbling toward the side where the sea would swiftly pull her in. A strong arm hurriedly wrapped around her waist and pulled her out of the rushing water that was beginning to drain off of the deck over the side. The squish of a wet haramaki against her stomach told her that it was Zoro.

Blinking through the downpour of rain dripping into her eyes, she looked up at him but found his attention focused on the anchor he was now trying to finish pulling up one handed. She let go of him to grip the railing in front of them and used her free hand to help him secure the anchor to the side of the ship where it belonged. A loud rumbling like a jet engine preparing for takeoff alerted them to the wind up of the Coup de burst and Zoro grabbed onto the railing next to her. Just as another wave began to approach the front of the ship, Franky shouted something indistinguishable before the ship launched into the air, away from the storm.

The combination of the hurricane like wind and the ship's momentum had Nami's feet lifting off of the deck and her arms nearly gave up their hold on the side. In a panic she grabbed onto the back of Zoro's dark green trench coat, trying to alert the swordsman that she was about to fly off and if he let that happen there would be hell to pay. His arm came up automatically, pinning her between his solid form and the Sunny. The flight lasted for about a minute before they splashed back down into the water. They were behind the storm now. The rain and the wind were gone and deep blue sky greeted them like a smile. Zoro loosened his grip on the railing and her waist. Glancing up at him, Nami briefly admired the attractive way that green hair hung into his eyes drenched with water. Just because they were friends it didn't mean she couldn't notice that some women might find that strong, protective rugged exterior attractive. She was staring. Heat rose into her face and she quickly turned away from him to hide it. Luffy's excited laughter broke the tension immediately.

"Yahooooo! Let's do that again!"

The captain was swinging from the sails like a monkey with that wide Luffy grin on his face. Brushing wet hair out of her eyes, Nami pointed an accusing finger in the younger boy's direction and scowled.

"No, Luffy! We're lucky the Sunny didn't go under!"

The true statement didn't seem to deter the captain one bit though and Luffy continued to rave about how awesome the storm had been. She knew it was an indirect compliment but it was still irritating that he could be so casual when she'd almost gone overboard. It was Luffy's way of saying that there was no way the Sunny would ever go under with her as their navigator, and his easy going laughter was him saying that no one had ever doubted Zoro's ability to keep her from going overboard. They could all trust each other here and she knew that. It didn't change the fact that storms were not something to be taken lightly. Despite herself, she smiled anyway just before the rest of the crew filed out onto the deck to survey the damage.

The ship itself wasn't damaged much thanks to Franky's excellent shipwright skills; but the kitchen was a mess with food and broken dishes everywhere as were most of the other rooms. It took several hours to straighten everything up and before they knew it late afternoon was already upon them. Life continued on as usual for the Straw Hats. Sanji set to work preparing dinner, Zoro brought a massive set of weights down from the crow's nest to work out on the lawn and Luffy fished with Usopp and Chopper. Settling down into her lounge chair a few feet from where Zoro was jumping around on the deck with weights on his shoulders, Nami sighed and allowed her frazzled nerves to finally relax.

"Are you alright, Nami?" Robin's voice chirped next to her.

Robin was in the lounge chair adjacent to her sipping a chilled coffee beverage that Sanji had whipped up for her to battle the heat. Genuine concern and slight amusement danced in the older woman's expression.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little rattled I guess," she assured Robin with a gentle smile.

When the wave had crashed into the Sunny she thought for sure she was going into the sea. The powerful current would've dragged her under water and for a split second it was like her nightmares from the week before were coming true. Granted the creepy pirate who tied weights to her legs wasn't there but the feeling was still the same; terror.

"Did you really think that Zoro would allow you to fall into the water?" Robin's question had merit.

Her path to the sea went straight past the swordsman and she knew deep down that no one on this ship would just let her slip by into the water, especially Zoro. His reflexes were too quick and his knack for saving her too keen for that to happen.

"It was just a little frightening," she admitted.

She felt better now that someone was pointing out the facts. She was never in any real danger to begin with and that was comforting.

"Zoro-San has a difficult time even allowing you to fall over in the snow, let alone into the ocean," Brook's voice spoke up from behind the lounging women. He was perched on the bench surrounding the mast with a cup of tea poised at his lips. Or at least it would be if he had lips. Furrowing a brow in confusion, Nami craned her neck to look at the skeleton.

"What are you talking about?"

If a skeleton could raise an eyebrow, Nami was pretty sure that Brook would be doing it now. It was like he thought for sure he had told her this piece of information before and was just realizing now that he hadn't.

"Ah I didn't tell you? It was quite romantic."

Their pervy musician sighed before continuing.

"When we were on Punk Hazard and Sanji-San was trapped in your body he tripped and almost fell backwards into the snow but Zoro-San caught him by the hand. Of course when I commented that the act was romantic he immediately dropped him, yohohohoho!"

Pursing her lips, the navigator pondered this new piece of information. It was pretty obvious that the only reason Zoro had stopped Sanji from falling on his rear was because he forgot that it wasn't her for a second and acted on instinct. She wondered if it was a subconscious need to protect his nakama or if the swordsman had ulterior motives for always coming to her rescue. Did Zoro have feelings for her?

She eyed the man in question as he moved on to a round of one finger pushups. Sensing eyes on him, Zoro glanced over at Nami without stopping his routine and scowled.

"What?" His slightly annoyed tone made the navigator smile and she shook her head with an amused laugh, only confusing Zoro more.

"Nothing," she answered, waving her hand in dismissal and allowing herself to return to her thoughts.

There was no way the brute could have those types of feelings for her. He just happened to be close by whenever she needed help. They were friends. Friends looked out for each other. She ignored the quickened pace of her heart and turned back to Robin to change the subject. She barely got two words in before Sanji was calling everyone inside for dinner.

A week without nightmares brought Nami's appetite back to normal. She sweetly thanked Sanji for the dish he set in front of her and took her time savoring the flavor. He really was the best cook. It was during dessert that Franky paused to dig into the pocket of his open shirt.

"I almost forgot. I fixed it," he told her as he carefully removed the little gold necklace he had repaired and handed it out to the navigator over the table. Smiling, she accepted it gratefully, a little surprised to find the charm so heavy. It had to be at least ten pounds, which was unusual for a crystal charm the size and shape of a marble.

"Thank you, Franky."

The moment she clasped the chain around her neck the weight was gone. It felt like a normal necklace again. She had to be imagining things. Shrugging it off but tucking the bizarre piece of information into the back of her mind, she turned back to the slice of chocolate cake she hadn't even touched yet only to find her plate empty and her captain attempting to lick the evidence from his face.

"Luffy!"

**[][][][]**

This couldn't be happening… It wasn't real. He was back. He towered in front of her as she fought to render him incapable of coming after her. She needed to escape. If she could just scream for help the others would hear her. She knew they were close by. She could hear Franky shooting off the Franky Beam and Chopper's high pitched voice as he used Kung Fu Point. Briefly allowing her focus to shift away from her attacker, Nami opened her mouth to scream for help.

"He- "

White hot pain seared through her head so sharply that for a moment her vision flashed black and she crumbled to the floor. She didn't even know what happened until she pressed a hand to the back of her skull and held it out in front of her face to find it covered in blood. The enemy pirate stood a few feet away wielding a sword, the hilt of it colored red from where it struck her. She felt dizzy. It wasn't like she was used to being hit. Those days were put behind her after she was freed from Arlong.

"Your friends don't even know you're gone. No one is coming to help you," he sneered.

His breath smelled of garlic and tobacco and the combination accompanied with her dizziness made her nauseous. It took all of her strength to quell the churning in her gut and not throw up on him. Dazed brown eyes stared up at the beefy man in confusion. She probably had a concussion. She didn't have the strength or the state of mind to fight when his massive hand suddenly surrounded her throat, cutting off her air supply.

"Time to go to sleep."

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Chocolate eyes snapped open in alarm and Nami panicked for a second when she found herself outside. She remembered going to sleep in the room she shared with Robin. Was she sleep walking again? She was clinging to the railing as if to keep herself from going over, slightly slumped against the side in a position between standing and sitting. She attempted to stand up but as she did pain ripped through her, this time very real and the resulting nausea had her hanging over the railing and emptying her stomach of its contents.

Her breathing was labored when her body finally stopped convulsing but the pain in her head didn't subside. She'd had headaches before but nothing like this. The sound of footsteps to her left as she turned away from the water felt more like someone hammering a spike into her brain. Everything was loud and unfocused.

"You're up late."

Zoro walked over to where she was standing with a bottle of pilfered sake in one hand; the other casually resting on his swords. Her eyes looked a little glassy but at first he figured it was only because she was still awake at this late hour. He lifted the bottle of booze to his lips but paused when he caught her wincing.

"Nami?"

She was rubbing at her temples as if to ward off a bad headache. She never got hangovers and he couldn't remember her even drinking at all today. Without answering him the navigator turned as if to throw up over the side of the railing again but since her stomach was already empty he was met with the sounds of painful dry heaving instead.

Dark eyes widened when he was presented with her back. He was at her side in an instant, his fingers gently probing the back of her head and the sake forgotten on the railing.

"What the hell happened?!"

He said it with such concern that for a moment Nami didn't know what he was talking about. It wasn't until he touched her skull that she realized something was terribly wrong. This wasn't just a headache. Zoro moved his hand into her line of vision so that she could see it was covered in blood.

"I thought it was a dream…"

Her voice sounded small; much smaller than Zoro was used to and her gaze looked almost haunted. Those two nights on the island flashed through his memory again and Zoro frowned, scanning the rest of her for injuries. There was nothing… She didn't do this to herself. Without a word Zoro angrily marched toward the girl's room. He knew that Robin was still up in the kitchen reading so he wouldn't be disturbing her from sleep. Nami followed him on slow and wobbly legs as he all but slammed open the door and began surveying the room. There wasn't a drop of blood to be found. Nothing was out of place, which meant that Nami hadn't done this to herself on accident in her sleep… It meant that she hadn't just knocked her head into something sleep walking. She'd be riddled with bruises if that were the case and there was no way that someone could've gotten onto the ship and attacked her without their knowledge.

"What were you dreaming about?"

It was a strange question to ask at the moment and Nami stared at him blankly. She had a concussion. He could tell by the way her eyes couldn't quite focus on him.

"Nami! What were you dreaming about?"

He almost sounded frantic and his tone brought her eyes back to his face. She couldn't just keep it to herself anymore. She didn't know what was happening and it was frightening.

"At first my dreams were just about me drowning…"

Her voice shook a little as she fought another bout of nausea. Zoro gripped her shoulders to steady her when she swayed and nearly lost her balance.

"Then I was being attacked by this guy… I think it's the same dream but not in order."

Was she making sense? She felt like she wasn't making sense.

"I was clawing at him to get away," she mumbled weakly.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear her muddled thoughts and Zoro's impatient voice ripped through her sensitive head, causing her to wince.

"Then what happened?"

"He hit me with the hilt of his sword."

Zoro was silent as he stared at her. He was not a superstitious man. He didn't believe in magic and all that other crap. He believed what he could see and touch and taste, but something was seriously wrong with these dreams that Nami was having. Somehow she was waking up with the same injuries as the ones she was receiving in her dreams.

"I'm fine, Zoro. We can just keep this between us."

Nami was stubborn but right now Zoro needed her to cooperate. The swordsman shook his head almost violently when she tried convincing him that everything was fine.

"No. It's time to tell Chopper and the others."

His rough voice softened just a little when she nodded her agreement.

"Don't throw up on me."

It was obvious he was teasing as he scooped her up into his arms to carry her to Chopper's office. It was time to wake up the crew and figure out what the hell was going on. Dead weight in his arms, Nami smirked up at him as best she could through the pain.

"No promises."

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**A/N:** I wasn't going to update this story so quickly but I finished Chapter 6 and got bored. XD Poor Nami. I can be so cruel to her and Zoro sometimes but it's for the overall good of the story. They can hang in there! Loving the story so far? Tell me about it! I'm usually pretty harsh when it comes to my own work but I've been giddy over this plot since I started typing the first chapter. Thank you all so much for reviewing. I'm still in awe of the positive response to this little plot bunny. You are all awesome! Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated! Happy reading!

- B.


	4. Steady and Sure

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 4: Steady and Sure_

It was clear Nami was disoriented by the simple fact that she didn't even wrap her arms around Zoro's neck as he carried her to balance herself out. Instead her arms dangled awkwardly beneath her and her head hung limply over his arm. Occasionally he had to shift her in his embrace to keep her awake. Falling asleep with a concussion was bad news since it increased the risk of not being able to wake her up. The plan was to bring her to Chopper's office, then go and get the doctor, but Zoro realized suddenly that Nami would probably fall asleep if he wasn't there to keep her awake. He growled before turning around and headed back toward the deck.

Sanji was on watch tonight and even though asking the love cook for help was the last thing the swordsman wanted to do, he really had no choice. It was almost like Nami was drunk. Sometimes when the pain would ease for a second she would look up at him with a smirk on her face and reach up to play with his earrings. He had to tug her hands away more than once. The pain was so intense that whenever it went away for a little while it left her feeling giddy. She was toying with his hair when he reached the deck below the crow's nest.

"Oi, Nosebleed!"

Nami chuckled at the nickname. Even though her head felt like it was splitting in half she had always enjoyed Zoro's sense of humor; but normally she would keep it to herself. Zoro smirked down at her when she laughed, clearly amused by her reaction. His smile disappeared when he remembered her condition, though.

"I told you not to call me-"

Sanji stopped abruptly when he saw his precious Nami-Swan jingling the marimo's earrings with her finger. Why the hell was he holding her like that, and why was she letting him? The cook nearly slammed open the trap door before climbing down.

"What are you doing to Nami-San?!"

Nami winced at Sanji's volume and Zoro frowned in response.

"Don't be so loud. She's got a concussion."

Sanji stilled for a moment before running to Nami's side. The blood matted in her hair made it clear that Zoro was telling the truth.

"Did you do this to her?!" Sanji was yelling again and Nami's hand suddenly lifted and dragged comically over his face in an attempt to shut him up. The cook blinked while her fingertips ran from his forehead to his chin and then dropped limply at her side.

"She woke up like this," Zoro growled in frustration. "Now is not the time to explain this to you, dumbass. I need you to go and wake up Chopper so I can get her to the sick bay and keep her awake."

Sanji looked like he was going to argue that he should be the one to stay with Nami but they all knew he was a big pushover when it came to the navigator. She looked to be in too much pain to be shifted into different arms at the moment and the cook reluctantly caved.

"Fine. Be careful with her. If you hurt one hair on her precious head-"

"Yeah yeah, you'll kick me into next week," Zoro mumbled dismissively and turned on his heel to head toward Chopper's office. Fingers flicking at his earrings for a third time made him look down at the woman in his arms. The look of concentration on her face told him that she wasn't acting strange because of the concussion. She was trying to distract herself from the pain to avoid throwing up on him.

"What are you doing?"

He thought he should ask her just to be safe; in case he was wrong and she was actually losing her mind. Slender fingers paused in their task and the navigator winced again. Rubbing at her throbbing temples, she answered him quietly.

"Distracting myself. What's it look like?"

Regardless of the irritable way she explained it, it confirmed his thoughts. It was a method he used pretty often when he was injured. If he ignored the pain long enough it was almost like it wasn't there… Almost. It was a relief when they reached Chopper's office. Zoro had just finished settling Nami into the small bed when the doctor came shuffling into the room. The little reindeer was rubbing the sleep from his eyes and yawning. If the situation wasn't serious it would have been adorable. Apparently Sanji hadn't told him much of anything. The cook hadn't come in with the little doctor so Zoro assumed that he was telling the rest of the crew about Nami's condition.

"Nami…. Zoro? What's going on?"

Chopper blinked and finally cleared the foggy haze from his vision. Nami was lying in the small bed in the room with her eyes squeezed shut as if in pain. Her face was drained of color and her hair a matted mess. Scrunching up his nose, the doctor was almost certain he could smell blood.

"Nami's got a concussion," Zoro's explanation was calm and simple but the words sent Chopper spiraling into panic mode. Within seconds of hearing the news he was running in circles around the room with tears in his eyes.

"What?! How did this happen? Doctor! We need a doctor!"

His panicked cries were loud and Nami winced once more before sitting up to whirl on the doctor at the same time that Zoro did.

"You're a doctor!"

They yelled it in unison without any real malice. The sudden movement made her dizzy and Nami had to quell another wave of nausea by taking a deep breath. Chopper paused in his pacing after remembering that he was indeed the ship's doctor and quickly moved over to Nami's side. He made her lay down and roll onto her side since sitting up would only make her head spin. Carefully pulling back her hair, he was met with a reassuring sight. While she definitely had a concussion, she didn't need stitches and the wound had already stopped bleeding. He cleaned the area thoroughly and used a few dots of medical glue to seal it up and keep water from getting in. It would heal in a few days and by morning she would be up and about again. After giving her some medicine for the pain, Chopper fixed Zoro with a stern look as if this was his fault.

"What happened?"

The swordsman shrugged his shoulders and indicated that he should ask Nami with a slight bow of his head in her direction. Her headache was finally gone thanks to the little white pill that Chopper gave her and Zoro was relieved to see her finally relaxed. As if on cue the rest of the crew came bursting through the door of Chopper's office. Even though the room was bigger than the one on the Going Merry, it was still pretty cramped with everyone in there.

"Nami! Who hit you?!" Luffy was shoving his way inside with worry etched into his features.

Most of the crew were asking questions and trying to talk over each other to get their answers. Nami only smiled. She really did have the best friends and she knew that she should've told them about her dreams sooner. They were all on her side regardless of how silly the cause of her injuries might sound; so she told them everything.

"I've been having these nightmares," she started slowly, sitting up in the bed again once she was sure that her nausea was gone. "Two weeks ago they were just small bits and pieces that didn't really make sense. There was an island and us sleeping on the beach."

It didn't sound so bad when she started from the beginning but of course the dreams had escalated from there. Everyone in the room was silent, even Luffy. Zoro was sitting on a stool at the end of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. He was the only one who knew about the severity of her nightmares.

"Then last week when we were sleeping on the beach the dreams kept getting worse. They felt real and I could actually understand what was happening. I was drowning and none of you knew I was missing because you were in the middle of a battle."

They looked like they wanted to protest but they allowed Nami to continue. She needed to get everything out in the open. Saying it out loud was lifting some of the weight from her shoulders.

"I woke up calling out to Zoro because I was yelling for all of you to help me. Then on the last night I was being attacked by a pirate. I'm almost certain it's the same dream but in a different order because he was trying to knock me into the ocean with weights tied to my ankles. I clawed him up pretty good but tonight he managed to nearly knock me out with a blow to the back of my head."

She was speaking as if her attacker was real and not only in her dream but her concussed skull definitely made it seem like this wasn't just a figment of her imagination. The mention of her clawing up her attacker had them exchanging glances. Zoro's injuries made sense now. Sanji practically melted into a little puddle of heartbroken goo at the knowledge that Nami had entrusted the swordsman with her secret and not him.

"When exactly did these dreams start, Nami?" Robin stepped forward out of the group with her brow furrowed. The archaeologist didn't seem surprised that Nami's dreams were causing physical injuries, which meant that she probably knew something.

"Two weeks ago."

"Isn't that when we left the island of stone?"

Robin pursed her lips in thought. The island made entirely of stone was definitely an interesting place. Boulders covered most of the landscape that wasn't occupied by granite houses. Precious gems, metals and crystals shimmered in the sunlight embedded in the rock. They hadn't been there for more than a few days.

"Did anything strange happen while you were shopping?"

Nami shook her head in answer to Robin's question. Nothing out of the usual happened while they were on the island. She shopped for the majority of their stay and left with several bags of half-priced clothing and a few pieces of hustled jewelry but that was normal for the navigator.

"Robin-San, have you heard of something like this before?"

Brook questioned their archaeologist and all eyes turned from Nami to the older woman. After a moment of thought she nodded.

"Yes but it doesn't make sense that it would be happening to Nami. I've heard of dreams causing physical injuries before but only in association with visionaries."

Everyone stared blankly at Robin since most of them had never heard of a visionary. Nami raised an eyebrow.

"Those people with seeing stones who claim to have premonitions of the future?" Nami asked and then frowned as Robin nodded yes to the question. She was many things but a visionary wasn't one of them. She knew that much for sure. When the entirety of the woman's statement sunk in, a knot began to form in the pit of Nami's stomach. Visions of the future…. Could these nightmares really be a premonition of things to come? She shuddered at the thought and Zoro caught the brief tremble from the corner of his eye.

"Until we find out what's going on I think we should take shifts while she's sleeping; that way someone is always here to wake her up before she can get hurt again," the swordsman suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Zoro's solution. There wasn't much else they could do to save their friend until they knew what they were dealing with.

"I don't have any books about visionaries but I'm sure we could pick one up at the next island and do a little research."

Robin's suggestion made sense and everyone nodded in unison. It wasn't much but it was a place to start.

"I'll take the first shift," Zoro spoke up and Luffy nodded in agreement. Their captain could be pretty dense sometimes but he knew his first mate well enough to know that Zoro had been in the loop before any of them. Nami trusted him with the information first and it made sense for him to be there for her tonight. Sanji was the only one who disagreed.

"Sanji-kun," Nami started before the cook could open his mouth to protest. "Could you take watch tomorrow night?"

The cook visibly softened and sighed. He was a womanizer most of the time but when it really counted he was quite the gentleman and a really good man. Nodding, he offered Nami a soft smile.

"Of course, Nami-San."

With their plan in place, most of the crew began to file out of the room to allow Nami to get some rest; everyone except for Chopper, Luffy and Zoro. The captain still hadn't said much of anything since stepping into the room but Zoro could practically taste the anger rolling off of him in waves. Luffy's friends meant everything to him. Seeing any one of them hurt without being able to do anything to help was something the younger man couldn't stand. He and Zoro had that trait in common among many others.

"Nami."

The serious tone of Luffy's voice brought chocolate eyes to his face. His head was bowed just enough that the brim of his hat shadowed all but his mouth which was set in a firm line.

"If you ever see the man who did this to you while you're awake, we'll take care of him," he promised.

Luffy shared a look with Zoro and the swordsman nodded silently. They were already in agreement. If the bastard that hurt her in her dreams ever so much as stepped into her line of vision in reality, both men would personally send him to his grave. Smiling and shaking her head in amusement at the actions of her friends, Nami nodded. The goofy grin that lit up Luffy's face signaled the end of the serious moment and then the captain was turning on his heel. Chopper set another dose of painkillers on the nightstand for her to take when she woke up and then followed Luffy out of the room.

The two of them were left alone once more and exhaustion hit Nami like a ton of bricks. She'd been through a lot tonight and she was physically and emotionally drained. She thought that Zoro would remain in his chair at the end of the bed so she was surprised when the swordsman suddenly stood and closed the gap between them. He plopped down next to the side of the bed on the floor, resting his back against the side of the mattress so that they were only a few inches apart. It would allow him to wake her up faster if she started dreaming.

Nami stared at the back of his head for several minutes before she smiled. Zoro was pretty rough around the edges at times but everyone on the ship knew that he could be a little soft when it came to people he cared about. He had a different way of showing it than most but it was clear in his subtle actions. He was sitting close to her for both convenience and because he knew that it made her feel safer if he was within arm's length. It was sweet in a Zoro kind of way. Nami settled down under the blankets and rolled onto her side to face his back as Zoro reached over and switched off the lamp on the desk.

The room was immediately cloaked in darkness but she could still make out his dark form beside her. The soft jingle of metal filled the quiet space followed by Zoro's exasperated sigh and Nami's nearly silent laughter.

"Stop it," he commanded softly.

She could hear the smirk in his voice as he half-heartedly asked her to quit playing with his earrings. Tugging the warm blanket up to her chest, Nami relaxed into the pillow and closed her eyes. Their breathing fell into a matching rhythm after a while and for a moment Zoro thought she was asleep.

"Zoro?"

Zoro turned his head to look at her in the darkness with a little grunt of recognition. She was whispering even though they were alone.

"Do you think these dreams might really be visions of the future…?"

The creeping fear in her voice knotted his gut and Zoro frowned. He couldn't just write off everything that Robin had said. Her nose was always buried in a book and she knew just about everything there was to know, but he didn't want to worry Nami anymore than she already was.

"No."

His reply was calm and honest because even if there was merit in Robin's explanation, the future could always be changed.

"How can you be so sure?"

He couldn't see her expression but he knew that she was staring at him in curiosity; possibly even lifting an eyebrow. It was funny how well he knew Nami even though he hadn't ever paid much attention to that fact before. He felt her smile in the darkness when he gave his answer, steady and sure.

"Because there's no way we wouldn't notice you were missing."

**[][][][]**

**A/N:** You guys seriously just make my day with your reviews. I can't even tell you how many times I laughed and smiled reading the reviews for Chapter 3. You are all such smart cookies, but you'll never actually guess the full extent of what's going on. ;D Muahahaha! Also I've been considering changing my pen-name for nearly a year now but I'd hate to cause confusion for my regular readers. D: Thoughts?

When I first started watching/reading One Piece Luffy was my absolute favorite character. As the manga and anime progress I fall in love with Zoro more and more. I can't quite bring myself to make him number one since I still love Luffy to pieces but they're definitely tied for first place. ZoNa would, without a doubt, be my favorite pairing though. I couldn't resist Nami playing with his earrings because I'm strange and always wanted to play with them myself. You guys are really going to love Chapters 5 and 7. The Fluff is coming! Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Happy reading!

- B.


	5. Prove It

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 5: Prove it_

She'd been here before. Gunfire and the boom of a canon to her right would've made her jump if she could move; but with a dislocated shoulder and bound ankles her effort was focused more on holding her breath. She had to be dreaming again. She'd fallen asleep after talking to Zoro in the infirmary so she knew that this wasn't real, but it felt real. The burning of starved lungs returned in full force and again the names of her crew mates flashed through her mind in a silent plea for help. Her conversation with the swordsman from the night before came back to her.

"_Because there's no way we wouldn't notice you were missing."_

She knew that Zoro was right but she wished that someone would get their ass in gear and come to her rescue sooner rather than later. Nami squeezed her eyes shut in the water and screamed for help in her head. Maybe Zoro would hear her talking in her sleep like last time since he was in the room with her tonight and wake her up before this got any worse. She should've woken up already. She knew she was dreaming but somehow she couldn't force her real eyes to open. _Wake up…_ She pleaded with herself to no avail.

Honey-brown eyes opened once more to find her still under the sea anchored to the bottom. After the concussion from last night she wondered what would happen if she died in this dream…. If this even was only a dream. If these were glimpses into her future, Nami didn't want to see what happened next. Her vision began to blur and darken until she felt like she was looking down a dark tunnel instead of at the ocean floor. Her lungs felt like they might burst at any moment. She couldn't fight it any longer. Her mouth opened and water filled it up. She was going to pass out and something told her that she wouldn't wake up if she let it happen.

A flash of green in her peripheral vision had the navigator turning her head slowly to look in the direction of the battle. _Zoro_… She watched him fight the underwater current as strong arms and legs propelled him toward her. The trail of blood that trickled from his leg and surrounded him in the water told her that her friends had known she was missing all this time. They'd been fighting their way through enemy pirates to get to her and Zoro had been the first one to make it. Her uninjured arm lifted weakly to reach out to him but her eyes slid shut and the darkness swallowed her whole. The last thing she saw was Zoro slicing apart her shackles and dragging her up to the surface.

Her chest ached. It felt like someone was putting pressure on it for short bursts at a time. The first thing that Nami took notice of aside from the soreness was air. Sweet precious air filled her lungs up and chased away the pain she'd felt there. Something soft was pressed against her mouth as her slightly muddled brain began to clear. When she opened her eyes she was met with a trio of golden earrings tickling her cheek. Another rush of air filled her up and realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Zoro was hovering over her in the small bed in Chopper's office with his mouth slanted directly over hers in an almost kiss. Before she could analyze the situation water bubbled up from her throat and she tore her mouth from Zoro's to spit it up on the floor.

A ragged gasp for breath escaped her lips as the dream finally faded and it became apparent that Zoro was giving her mouth to mouth. He was sitting on the side of the bed and running a large hand through his spiky green hair in relief; his own breath a little labored from momentary panic. It was sometime early in the morning. The sun wasn't up yet but the sky began to lighten with its impending arrival. Nami coughed and finally managed to get her breathing under control before her eyes shifted to Zoro for answers.

"I couldn't wake up," Nami whispered with a hard swallow. "I knew I was dreaming but I couldn't get out…"

Zoro was listening but his large form was hovering over her again. She didn't know what he was doing until she felt icy fingers carefully touching the back of her head. She winced and realized that the pain was back which meant that Chopper's medicine had worn off. Once Zoro was certain that her wound hadn't reopened during her thrashing, he fetched the glass of water and painkiller from the nightstand and handed them out to her.

"You stopped breathing."

She could hear the tightness in the swordsman's voice as he tried to keep his words steady and calm. The event had rattled him. She could see it written all over his face. Obviously trying to wake her up hadn't worked for him either and he'd been forced to endure the results of the dream just as she had. Nami was sitting up on the bed with her legs folded underneath her facing Zoro's side since he was sitting on the edge of the mattress. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. They didn't have to since they were both thinking the same thing. These dreams were going to kill her if they didn't find a way to combat them. The problem was they didn't know what was causing them in the first place. With a sigh Nami hung her head, frustrated and confused, until her forehead touched the edge of Zoro's shoulder.

"What's happening…?" She whispered to no one in particular.

**[][][][]**

Luffy was livid when he heard about Nami's brush with death at breakfast. The captain could be pretty childish at times but when it came to his friends, he was serious. It was frustrating. He'd trained for situations like this for two long and grueling years and yet he felt so useless. There was nothing he could do to stop the nightmares. Their only course of action at the moment was keeping the navigator alive while she slept. Nami was playing it off as if nothing had happened. She smiled between bites of food and ordered them around like usual. She wasn't going to let these dreams run her life, but it didn't mean she wasn't scared; she just had faith that her friends would come through for her and it helped to put her mind at ease a little.

She found it hard to look at Zoro now. It wasn't exactly easy to forget the feel of his lips on hers, even if his actions were completely justified and necessary. Now something just felt different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but instinct told her to avoid the swordsman for a while until she could make sense of everything going on.

Everything was riding on them getting to the next island and doing some research, but Nami knew that it wouldn't be a quick fix. Researching her strange condition could take days and she would have to sleep sometime. Too stubborn to allow this thing to disrupt her schedule anymore than it already had, Nami vanished for the majority of the day to finish one of her maps. The familiar drag of ink on paper helped to relax the navigator and after a while she found herself thinking of things she was hoping to avoid. Something was going on between her and the swordsman.

Sure Zoro cared about his friends but he always seemed to put a little more effort into his interactions with her. With the exception of Sanji she was the only one he'd go out of his way to pick a fight with, and always over something stupid or trivial. He was always looking out for her in battle; even on their first meeting when he'd shielded her from Buggy's men while she worked to save Luffy's life. He caved a little too easily when she threatened him with debt. Money meant very little to Zoro and yet he rarely said no.

Nami couldn't exactly excuse her own actions in their friendship either. She'd always been a little harder on Zoro than the rest of the crew; forcing him to piggy back her in Alabasta, volunteering him to take on various jobs in exchange for beli and demanding that he tag along with Sanji to protect her body from the lecherous cook in Punk Hazard were just a few examples. Did Zoro have feelings for her that crossed the shaky line of friendship they'd drawn between themselves? She didn't want to ask herself if she had feelings for Zoro even if that particular question was more important. She already knew the answer; Nami just wasn't willing to admit it yet, even to herself.

As she settled down to sleep that night with Sanji perched diligently on the stool at the end of the bed; Nami caught herself mulling over every detail of these dreams. She thought of when they had started and why she'd never experienced them before that point in time. She hoped the next island would hold the answers to the questions occupying her every thought… _One more day._

**[][][][]**

Sanji was a perfect gentleman when the situation required him to be. He would always put his friend's wellbeing before his lust for women. Her dream returned that night but the cook's solution of waking her up, while more subtle than Zoro's, had worked. A few sprinkles of water on her face had Nami bolting up in the bed before her attacker could strike again. Splashes of water were out of place in a dream where she wasn't even touching the sea yet so it was a smart way of bringing her back to herself. It was a technique they would have to share with the rest of the crew. If they could stop her nightmares in their tracks right before they caused physical harm, her sleeping habits could very nearly return to normal.

A night without coming close to dying had the navigator feeling reassured that they could beat this thing. The change in mood was obvious when she stepped out onto the deck. Luffy was the captain but they all relied on each other to make their journey possible. If she was feeling on edge and frustrated, so were her friends. Sanji had disappeared after making sure she was alright to begin preparing breakfast. Chopper gave her an extra pain killer and cleansed her wound again before he let her out of the room. She checked the log pose to ensure that they were headed in the right direction before wandering the deck to find Luffy, Usopp and Chopper fishing in the back. It was nice to see that things were beginning to be normal again.

"Oi, Luffy," Nami's voice was bright and cheerful and the captain grinned widely in response. "We should be landing on the next island sometime tomorrow morning."

The three boys cheered in unison as if they'd just beaten up a villain. Their childish behavior didn't bother her today. Nami was grateful for the smiles and immature laughter after days of being treated like a china doll. The navigator was in the mood to celebrate for once; both the prospect of a new island and the temporary conquering of her nightmares.

"We should have a party!" Luffy announced with a pumped fist, nearly losing his rod in the process.

Nami nodded with her own answering smile and the captain began shouting to the cook to start the plans. Meat, they needed lots of meat. Sanji would break out the good booze if she asked him to so she wasn't worried about having fun during their celebration. Leaving the trio for now, Nami made her way over to her mikan trees. They needed to be preened and watered. Maybe she would even pick a few and have Sanji whip up a citrus dessert to share. She was feeling fairly generous today with the solution to her current predicament possibly looming within reach.

Nami was a little surprised when she rounded the deck surrounding the main mast to find Zoro sleeping at the base of one of her trees. It wasn't that he never slept there, but it was a rare occurrence. Sometimes he liked being surrounded by the scent of tangerines while he napped; not that he would ever admit it out loud. Shrugging her shoulders, the navigator set to work watering the thriving plants and preening the excess branches to allow the trees to continue growing. Some of the trees were already heavy with fresh fruit. Picking a few of the low hanging mikans, Nami frowned when she noticed that her basket was only half full.

Zoro was blocking her path to the best tree. Shrugging her shoulders again, Nami kicked off her heels and set her basket beside the swordsman. His eyes were still closed and she wasn't sure if he was actually sleeping or not. Sometimes he liked to simply rest his eyes and ever since Whiskey Peak, she knew he was good at feigning naps. His arms were crossed over his chest and his legs criss-crossed over each other. At this point she didn't really care if he was actually resting or not. He was in her way so it had officially become his job to help her finish the harvest.

She was a little too short to reach over him and grab the tangerines above his head and so she stepped in between his crossed legs and then lifted herself up, bracing a foot on top of his thigh. Once she was sure she could maintain her balance, she brought the other foot up and set to work picking the rest of the tangerines. She fought a smile when Zoro's eye opened and he fixed her with an irritated look.

"Don't give me that face," Nami chastised without glancing at him. "You were in my way so it's only fair that you help me."

Her tongue was sticking out between her lips a little in concentration as she stretched to reach some of the higher fruit. Her arms were falling a few inches short of reaching the ripe mikans and Zoro sighed. He wasn't going to be getting any sleep as long as she was here so he might as well speed up the process. Nami gave a little surprised shriek when her feet were swept out from underneath her and her face became suddenly eye level with the tops of her trees. Zoro was standing up with Nami sitting on one of his broad shoulders, his arm wrapped around her thighs to keep her there. She didn't thank him out loud but she did pass him one of the tangerines for him to eat and they both knew that was one of the highest compliments the navigator could give.

"Don't tell Luffy," she warned as she continued to tenderly pick a few select pieces of fruit, "he'll eat them all."

**[][][][]**

Zoro wasn't big on sweets but it was hard to say no to a piece of tangerine cake when Nami had generously provided the fruit for the dessert, which was rare. The Straw Hats were all spread out on the lawn of the Sunny with plates of food scattered everywhere. He was pleasantly surprised after taking a bite. Unlike most cakes, the dessert was a perfect mixture of sweet and tangy thanks to the citrus ingredients. He might have even asked for seconds if Luffy hadn't already devoured the remaining slices. Sanji was in the middle of bringing out the good booze at Nami's request while Brook began strumming on his guitar.

The evening air was pleasantly cool and the stars were already coming out to greet the celebrating crew. It was nice to see the navigator in such a good mood. She even gave the cook a little peck on the cheek as a thank you for baking the requested cake. Sanji burst into a parade of throbbing hearts and nosebleeds and everyone laughed at his reaction. He couldn't bring himself to tease the cook tonight. Even though he acted like an idiot most of the time Sanji had found an effective way of helping Nami through her predicament and he could bite his tongue for at least one night because of that. Tomorrow was fair game, though.

He had just gotten his hands on a bottle of booze when Nami drifted over to his side and sat down. He glared at her when she swiped the sake from his hands just as he prepared to take a drink and took a long swallow of the potent liquid. She always had to push his buttons. He kind of liked it, not many people could bully Zoro, but that was beside the point.

"Is that a challenge?" Zoro gestured to the now half empty bottle and smirked.

"It's not really a challenge when you have no chance of beating me," Nami shot back silkily and finished the chilled liquor with one last pull of her lips. Zoro grinned and took the bait; snatching another bottle and downing it in one go.

It was well past midnight when they finally decided to call it a night. Neither Straw Hat was drunk but they definitely weren't sober either. They'd reached a happy medium where the booze left a pleasant hum and a wash of warmth in its wake. They would probably never know who could out drink the other but that was okay. They kind of liked not knowing. Zoro wandered off to sleep in the boy's room along with Sanji, Brook and Chopper. Luffy was still passed out on the deck in a food coma and Usopp had watch for the night. Robin, Franky and Nami headed for the girl's room. The navigator was healed enough to leave the sick bay and it was Franky's job to look after her for the night. Robin didn't seem to mind the cyborg being in their room at all and after a while both girls were fast asleep.

**[][][][]**

She'd never noticed how attractive Zoro could be when he smiled. Okay, that was a lie. She always just tried not to focus on the pleasant little flip flop in her chest whenever he did. There was something about the scar on his left eye coupled with that cocky grin that made her heart quicken its pace; especially when the reason he was smiling was because of her. She couldn't remember how they'd ended up in front of her mikan trees; she just knew that Zoro had boxed her in against one of the trunks, one arm next to each side of her head.

"Does it surprise you?" Zoro questioned in amusement.

Nami furrowed her brow in confusion. She felt like she should know what he was talking about but somehow her memory was foggy. The last thing she remembered was going to bed after their little drinking contest. This was probably a dream. It wouldn't be the first time the swordsman invaded her subconscious.

"Does what surprise me?" Nami tried her best to fight the heat rising in her cheeks from his close proximity. He was leaning forward with only a few inches between their faces. How could he look so smug in such an intimate position?

"Me admitting that I love you," Zoro's reply was completely calm. He didn't seem to feel uncomfortable admitting something so personal and surprising.

Nami only stared at him in shock. He said it like this wasn't the first time the confession had been expressed. Yes, this was definitely a dream. She swallowed in an attempt to quench her suddenly dry throat and felt her heart soften a little in relief. Zoro was in love with her? His laughter took her off guard, not that she wasn't already.

"You act like you didn't already know," he mused with that damn attractive grin again.

Her head was spinning in a million different directions, her heart thundering against her ribs. Her breathing was slightly labored as she tried to process what was happening, the hot puffs of air mingling with Zoro's in the small space between them. A dark eye skimmed her face casually and Nami realized she was standing there with her mouth hanging open like an idiot. As if to prove to herself that this had to be a dream, she straightened her spine.

"Prove it."

Apparently that was the only reaction Zoro needed because he suddenly closed the gap between them and claimed her lips with his own. The intensity of the kiss was shocking. His passion trickled into every nerve ending in her body until she was certain she was going to fall over. His kiss felt familiar, like they'd done this before; but it had to be a dream because she couldn't imagine Zoro ever taking the initiative to cross the unspoken boundaries between them. Part of her wanted him to, though.

She whimpered against her will, snaking her arms up to wrap them around his neck and pulling the swordsman down a little more. She tilted her head to change the angle of the kiss and Zoro grunted appreciatively as his own arms moved from beside her head to grip her hips. Her brain couldn't even function correctly when his tongue swiped across her lips and he let himself into her mouth like he owned the place. Strong arms tugged her body flush against him and one hand moved up into her hair in such a way it made her shiver. It was like he knew she would like it before Nami knew it herself. They'd never done this before so how could he know?

She nearly pouted in protest when the swordsman broke the kiss but her complaint was quickly banished when he moved on to her neck instead. Who knew Zoro would be just as talented at kissing as he was with swords? She should've pushed him away and stopped whatever was happening between them but a little nip at the base of her throat sucked the will to stop right out of her. She never thought that biting could be so stimulating. How did Zoro know? Smiling lips moved from her throat to the column of her neck where the swordsman alternated between kissing and sucking. She shuddered and crumbled against his chest in a shock of pleasure. He seemed to know her body better than she did and Nami could only moan her appreciation. Her forehead began to sweat when Zoro's hands began to wander with complete confidence in his actions.

"Nami," his husky groan against her skin was almost as good as the kissing itself. She couldn't concentrate enough to give a coherent response. She managed to whisper his name and that was about it.

"Nami!"

She hummed in recognition. She needed less talking and more of what he'd been doing before. Something cold splashed against her face and Nami opened her eyes to find Franky and Robin staring down at her with a glass of water in Robin's hand. Her breathing was still labored and she could still feel the tingle of Zoro's mouth on her neck but he wasn't there. She wanted to frown but instead she bolted upright in the bed and swiped at the sweat on her brow. Franky looked concerned that she was having another nightmare but Robin was giving her that all knowing smile.

"Are you alright, sis? You were calling out for Zoro in your sleep again. You must've been running away from something. You were breathing pretty hard," Franky pressed the smaller version of his hand against her forehead as if to check her temperature.

"Another frightening vision?" Robin questioned with a smile and feigned innocence. Heat immediately pooled into Nami's cheeks as she rubbed at the back of her neck.

"Yes…" Nami pressed a hand against her racing heart. "Something like that."

**[][][][]**

**A/N: **Some of you have mentioned that you're hoping Nami's dreams aren't actually visions. After reading this chapter, I have to ask, are you still hoping they aren't visions? ;D It's official! The romance really begins here. Thank you for reading and reviewing everyone. I appreciate it more than you all know. It's only been a week since my last update but I still feel bad for not updating sooner. I'm trying to stay three chapters ahead of you all and I put off writing Chapter 8 for a while in favor of Roleplaying on GaiaOnline and reading. I'm a literature junkie. I finished Chapter 8 last night, though, and as of now it is officially my favorite chapter! I can't wait for you all to get to that point. Thanks for being patient as usual! I know I'm probably confusing all of you with these strange dreams but it will all make sense in the end. I promise. I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this chapter! In the mean time, happy reading!

- B.


	6. On the Menu

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 6: On the Menu_

Nami didn't know whether to be relieved or disturbed by the drastic change in her dreams. On one hand she was thankful for a temporary escape from the creepy pirate, but she wasn't so sure that dreaming up intimate situations between her and the swordsman was any better. The sensation of his lips on her mouth and her skin remained long after the dream had faded. The part that disturbed her most was how much she'd enjoyed the passionate moment. She should feel disgusted. This was Zoro. He was one of her best friends. Friends don't steal toe-curling kisses in the privacy of her mikan trees. The very idea of being in a relationship with Zoro should've seemed ridiculous, but it didn't. When she really sat down and mulled over the situation, their compatibility was strikingly obvious.

Now would be the time to ask herself if she had feelings for the swordsman, but Nami was stubborn. She figured that if she ignored the way her heart did a little flip in her chest whenever she caught him looking at her, eventually it would go away. She had bigger things to worry about right now anyway. Like researching her condition to find out whether or not she somehow managed to turn into a visionary over night. It was with a nervous heart and a fake smile that the navigator stepped out onto the deck the morning after her dream encounter with Zoro. Robin kept the information to herself and since Franky still thought it was another nightmare, the rest of the crew didn't question her.

Nami was tense as she checked the log pose, looking up to find a summer island looming in the distance. She guessed they would be able to dock the ship around noon which gave them plenty of time to explore and find the books they were looking for. She just couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that settled in the pit of her stomach and hunched her shoulders.

"Nami-san," Sanji's voice startled the navigator from her task and Nami jumped, pressing a hand against the base of her throat as she whirled to look at him. The cook furrowed his brow in confusion and mild hurt.

"It's just me," Sanji soothed with a frown and placed a hand against her shoulder. Letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding; Nami smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Sanji-kun. I'm just a little nervous."

She was nervous because they had no idea what was happening to her or what was causing the nightmares. She was scared that they wouldn't be able to find the much needed solution on this island; but most of all she was afraid of dragging her friends into this mess. What if they got hurt? As if reading her thoughts, Sanji smiled and squeezed her shoulder gently without saying a word for a while. The carefully restrained power in those hands brought her back to herself. Her nakama were some of the strongest people roaming the seas. They had been through much worse before and still come through alive and victorious in the end. She was worrying over nothing. She needed to remember that they were all in this together, regardless of the fact that she was the only one experiencing the dreams. It wasn't a burden she carried alone.

"Breakfast is ready," Sanji finally broke the silence and grinned, earning him a smile from Nami in return. Her shoulders relaxed as the cook walked away and began heading up the stairs to the kitchen. She was also a little afraid of this thing that was happening between her and Zoro. She was afraid because the idea of being with him in ways that strayed beyond the realm of friendship caused her heart to quicken in pace. She was afraid because things might change between them; but she was mostly afraid because these feelings she was developing- _had long ago developed_ for the swordsman weren't scary at all… Instead they left her with this feeling of anticipation; of waiting for something to happen.

After following Sanji into the dining area, Nami took the empty seat next to Robin and a groggy looking Zoro thunked down on her other side. It was no secret that the swordsman had been losing sleep since her nightmares began. Granted he still managed a solid eight hours but for someone who trained as much as Zoro, eight hours wasn't enough. His usual napping hours were replaced with extra training sessions on the deck next to where Nami was usually sunbathing, as if he could train her bad dreams away. He wasn't the only one altering his routine out of concern.

Robin usually read until well into the night but lately she'd been going to bed at the same time Nami did. She appreciated everything they were doing and resolved herself to make it up to them when this was all over. Some pricey sake for Zoro and new books for Robin were definitely in order. Maybe she'd even splurge a little with their money depending on how much they had to spare.

"Once we land on the island we need to find a bookstore," Robin suggested between bites of food.

"After we find the books we need we can bring them back to the Sunny and start researching," Nami agreed with a soft smile. The research would take a while with only her and Robin doing it but they would manage.

Once breakfast was finished the crew filed out onto the deck and began efficiently preparing to dock the ship. The island was beautiful with a massive beach and buildings that shimmered in the sunlight. The buildings were made of wood or brick but the rooftops were covered with carefully chiseled pieces of stone. A mountain framed the other side of the city, giving the place a sense of natural seclusion and tranquility. A massive waterfall tumbled over the side of the mountain and fell into a deep blue pool hidden from view behind the buildings.

Everything looked clean and organized. It wasn't until they anchored at the docks that the stone roofs made sense. A sign that said 'Welcome to Granite Falls' sparkled its pristine greeting. They were close enough to the island of stone that it made sense for the granite, precious gems and metals to be available here too. Unlike Rockwell, though, this island was a healthy mixture of rock, wood and vibrant forest.

"Robin and I will find the bookstore," Nami announced to the crew as she began to pair them up. "Sanji, you and Luffy can handle the food supply," she pursed her lips in thought, mentally preparing each task before she implemented them verbally. "Franky and Usopp can cover lumber and whatever we need to fix the anchor." She wasn't the best when it came to mechanics but she was sure that Franky and Usopp could handle it. Zoro, Chopper and Brook would handle medical supplies and anything else they might need. She yearned to browse the clothing stores but books were more important right now.

"Try to be back in time for dinner," Nami finished with a wag of her finger before descending the ramp and heading into the city with Robin. The sooner they figured out what was happening to her, the sooner they could find a way to fix it.

She felt a little bad that Chopper was assigned a medicine run instead of joining the girls at the bookstore. The place was huge with books lining every surface in the wide open space, but Chopper had spent two years in a library that could easily put this one to shame so the feeling didn't linger.

"Do you have any books about visionaries?" Nami's question seemed to surprise the middle-aged clerk. He blinked at her in silence for a full minute before regaining his voice.

"What an odd subject of interest for a young woman," he whistled and blew a strand of salt and pepper hair out of his eyes, the thick locks escaping from his short pony tail. Curious gray eyes skimmed the two female customers thoughtfully for a moment and Nami thought for sure he was going to tell her that they didn't carry any books on that particular subject.

"We don't get many people in here interested in that department but I think we can help you out," his smile was warm and a dimple flashed at the corner of his mouth, giving him an attractive boyish quality. He kind of reminded her of Rayleigh.

The clerk unfolded his six foot three inch frame from the chair behind the counter and led the way into the back of the store. Apparently visionaries were rare. In all of their adventures on the sea the Straw Hats had only ever encountered one; Madam Shyarly* from Fishman Island.

"Scrying?" Nami asked as she lifted one of the heavy leather bound books from a shelf in the back. The clerk nodded.

"It's just another term for visionary. Let me know if you need anything else," he gave the girls another once-over, probably wishing he was five years younger.

Nervous energy tickled Nami's fingers as she skimmed the various titles before plucking each one from its place. She wasn't going to even glance at the price for once. They needed every book they could get their hands on. Robin sprouted a few extra hands to help carry the load. There were only ten books on the subject available but hopefully it would be enough to save Nami. The clerk stared at them in bewilderment when the two women stacked the books at the register.

"You're buying all of them?"

Nami leaned forward onto the counter with a flirtatious grin in place.

"At half price," she told him, smirking as the clerk's eyes darted to her chest before he caught himself and glanced back up, heating rising in his cheeks.

"I can't possibly give them to you for half price," he stammered, nervously rubbing the back of his neck and loosening a few more strands of hair in the process.

"Based on the age of these book covers I'm willing to bet that you don't get many customers interested in buying these particular books. So you can give them to me for half price, or we can find them elsewhere."

There was a reason the navigator was always shopping. She had a knack for getting anything she wanted at half price or less because of her exceptional negotiation skills. They really needed those books so Robin knew that she was bluffing, but Nami seemed completely confident and her steady gaze wore the older man down within seconds.

"Half price… But no less!"

Smirking in victory, Nami slapped the necessary beli down on the counter and picked up her share of the books, tossing the rattled clerk a little wink before the women sauntered out of the store.

The run to the bookstore only took about twenty minutes. The boys would probably be out and about for a few more hours so the women would have the ship to themselves. Nami intended to spread out on the lawn covered deck with Robin to start the researching process, so she was shocked when she stepped onto the Sunny to see Zoro working out. The swordsman paused in his routine when he noticed the girls and he crossed the space between them to relieve the navigator of half of her books.

"I thought you were doing a supply run with Chopper and Brook," Nami frowned in confusion. Her response was Zoro's shrug.

"Someone needed to look after the ship," Zoro replied as if it were obvious and settled down on the lawn to open one of the books. It dawned on her then that he intended to help them with their research. It shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did. With the exception of Luffy, every member of the crew had books stowed away in the library, even Zoro. He wasn't a stranger to reading. Still, the friendly gesture was touching and caused her heart to do another pleasant flip in her chest.

"Oi, Nami!" Luffy's voice jerked her gaze back toward the city in astonishment.

"Don't start without us!" The captain bellowed with a wide grin. Nami's expression softened in a smile and her heart swelled with affection as she watched the rest of her nakama walk toward the ship with their necessary supplies in hand. All of them had worked to finish their tasks early to help with the research and she loved them even more for it.

Settling down next to Zoro with her own book, the navigator fought back tears as she began to read the first page and jot down notes on a spare sheet of paper. It felt like they were all pitching in to rescue her from a life of slavery all over again. Honey-brown eyes lifted to take in the sight of her friends, who were all spread out in a circle on the lawn with multiple books scattered in front of them and concentrated expressions on their faces. She really couldn't ask for better friends… For better family.

Nami was impressed that Luffy's attention remained on his book for a full forty-five minutes. His notes were difficult to read but she had to give him credit for trying. The captain didn't find anything useful in his assigned book and Nami dismissed him with a smile and encouraged him to do some fishing. She knew that reading just wasn't something Luffy could concentrate on for long periods of time and the rest of them had it covered anyway. They chatted casually in between their individual studies and even though they needed to find a solution as quickly as possible, the atmosphere was light and peaceful.

"Find something?" Nami murmured in a voice low enough for only Zoro to hear when she caught the swordsman frowning. Leaning close to him, she peered over his shoulder to read his notes. She was surprised by the neat meticulous penmanship. Zoro put a lot of discipline and attention into his fighting so why would any other aspect of his life be different?

"It doesn't make any sense," Zoro underlined a specific passage with his finger for her to read. Following the line of his finger, Nami's eyes skimmed over the words, her heart sinking. _Visionaries are given the gift of foresight from birth. In rare cases some fortune tellers can see premonitions without the use of tools, but most can only harness this power through the use of talismans or crystal balls. All visionaries can sense their gift from an early age and there have been no known cases of the gift occurring suddenly in later life._

She released the breath she didn't realize she was holding in a sigh. It was only one book but it stressed exactly what the group had feared. She wasn't a visionary, so what the hell was happening to her?

"Unless you've got a crystal ball we don't know about, I don't think these books are gonna give us the answers," Zoro affirmed while snapping the book shut. Nami closed her own text in morbid defeat before looking over at Robin. The rest of the crew had heard Zoro's comment and guessed the rest based on Nami's reaction.

"Now what?" Nami frowned.

"This book is one hundred years old," Robin reassured them with her tone and a smile. "The information could be outdated. I think that if we keep looking, we might find a different answer."

The archaeologist's words lifted their spirits again, giving them hope. Nodding with renewed determination, Nami stretched. They'd been at this for several hours already, pouring over the mountains of information. The sun was already dipping beneath the horizon and stomachs began to rumble. The research could continue in the morning. The navigator already knew there wasn't going to be a quick solution. For now they would stick to their plan of watching her while she slept and hopefully make a dent in the books tomorrow. For now they had the nightmares under control so even though she wanted this to be over already, they didn't have to rush. She was safe.

"Let's take a break. We can pick up where we left off tomorrow. I saw a bar and restaurant combo in town that looks promising. We should go," Nami's voice was reassuring and relaxed. They all knew she was tough. She wasn't going to let these dreams stop her from having fun and they weren't going to let them hurt her again.

"Yosh!" Luffy appeared from the back of the ship with his fishing rod still in hand, the hook flailing across the lower deck wildly, forcing everyone to duck before he chucked the pole off to the side somewhere. "Meat!"

"They better have good booze," Zoro grunted as he moved to stand.

"Maybe I'll get to see some panties," Brook interjected with a chuckle.

"I hope they serve cola!" Franky posed dramatically.

"I bet the waitresses are cute," Sanji fantasized and Nami laughed, shaking her head. Her friends would never change, and she didn't want them to.

Chopper stayed behind to guard the ship but Robin promised to bring him back some food. The rest of the crew filed out onto the docks and paired up. Nami fell in step with Zoro at the front to lead the way and to make sure he didn't get lost, while Sanji made sure to shove his way in next to Robin. Luffy was chatting excitedly with Usopp and Brook and Franky brought up the rear.

"Are you ever gonna take that thing off?" Zoro flicked the little crystal charm around her neck, earning him a glare from Nami.

"I like it," Nami huffed without any real irritation. "It's pretty, not that you would know anything about beauty." He wanted to protest that he knew a lot more about beautiful things than she thought he did, but the teasing note in her voice gave him the willpower to bite his tongue. This was just another round of verbal play between them. He didn't need to spout off the fact that her beauty far outshined that of the crystal charm she treasured so much. Then he'd sound like the stupid love cook.

"It just seems a little pointless to keep it on even when you sleep. Who are you trying to impress, your pillow?" Zoro smirked when she suddenly poked him in the ribs and she grinned, clearly enjoying their back and forth.

"Says the man who hasn't gone a day without wearing his earrings," she countered and tapped the metal in his left ear to emphasize her point. She had him there. The flashing lights of the tavern came into sight a moment later and Zoro exchanged a look with Nami, both of them thinking the same thing.

"Round two?" Nami's playful grin became downright impish when the swordsman laughed.

"I won't go easy on you this time," Zoro grinned wolfishly as he shoved open the door and let the navigator walk in ahead of him.

"Just don't throw a fit when I win," Nami chirped sweetly as they picked out a table with their friends to order food before their drinking contest. "I'm not really into men who throw tantrums."

Zoro knew she was teasing, but his stomach knotted in anticipation anyway. Nami was always flirting without any real meaning behind her words.

"I guess that takes Swirly-Brow off of the menu," he murmured so that only she could hear, earning him a genuine laugh and a nod as they slid into the booth together. He relished the fact that Nami's statement left the swordsman _on_ the menu, and the navigator didn't say anything more to suggest otherwise, the rest of the crew sliding in to join them.

"Meat!" Luffy shouted at a waitress.

"Sake!" Zoro joined him, completely missing the affectionate look Nami gave him without realizing she was doing it. Robin caught it, but the older woman only smiled and said nothing.

**[][][][]**

**A/N: ***English subs say her name is Sharley, but Oda made it clear that it's actually spelled Shyarly, and the mermaid café has her name spelled as Shyarly on the building in the anime too. So I'm not quite finished writing Chapter 9 yet but I couldn't stand waiting to update. XD! So here you go, guys! :3 Thanks for being so awesome and sticking with me even when it takes me a little while to update. You are all awesome and I love you! Thank you in advance (although you know I'll respond to your reviews individually) for reading and reviewing! Happy reading!

- B.


	7. Real Zoro VS Dream Zoro

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 7: Real Zoro vs. Dream Zoro_

Sometimes Nami felt like the mom of their crew, and she wasn't even the oldest female on board. It was probably because she was the Straw Hat with the money. All eyes turned in her direction in a silent question after everyone finished giving their orders to the waitress. Smiling in amusement, Nami rattled off her own order and waved her hand in dismissal to her friends. They still had plenty of precious gems and treasure left over from Rockwell so she wasn't going to fret about spending some of it. They deserved a little down time and spoiling after everything they'd done and been through lately. Easy conversation surrounded the table until the food arrived. Then it was chaos as usual.

Zoro dug into the rice and sea-king meat like a man who hadn't eaten in days. She had a feeling his appetite had diminished in the last week much like hers had. Luffy was practically inhaling slabs of ham and Nami wondered how he even tasted it. Franky was chugging a chilled bottle of cola while Robin politely chewed her coffee cake beside him. Sanji had long ago ditched them to chase after a few of the pretty waitresses and Brook occupied the piano in the corner of the room and started to play a few songs after he finished eating. Usopp was attempting to claim a few pieces of meat before Luffy got to them. Nami just watched them all with a smile while she sipped at her orange flavored beverage. They got on her nerves sometimes but two long years of separation had only increased the affection she felt for her friends.

Fingers brushed beneath the table and Nami froze. Her heart stuttered and began to hammer against her ribs as she chanced a look at Zoro. The swordsman was still eating but his pace had slowed and his shoulders were tense. His right hand was resting on the seat between them and her left hand had ended up resting there too only an inch away from touching. Somewhere in the time that it took to order food and eat it, one of them had closed the gap between their hands, allowing them to just barely brush together. It was an innocent touch that could easily be written off as an accident but Nami's skin burned from the contact anyway. She held her breath in anticipation, a large part of her wishing he would take the leap and lace their fingers together. The swordsman's fingers twitched like he was debating whether or not to do just that and her heart skipped a beat in response.

"Nami, look!" Luffy's voice brought her back to reality and Nami jerked her hand away from Zoro's at the interruption. She could've sworn she saw the swordsman frown out of the corner of her eye, but she highly doubted it was for the same reason that her own heart sunk in disappointment. Their captain had jammed a pair of chopsticks up his nose and tucked the other ends into his bottom lip, wiggling them with pride. Nami grimaced in disgust, resisting the urge to smile.

"You're an idiot, Luffy," she murmured with slight amusement.

Once Zoro finished his food, he slid out of the booth and began to meander toward the bar. It was the silent signal to start their drinking competition, and Nami swiftly joined him. Following his tall figure through the crowded room, the navigator finally managed to secure two bar stools for them from two highly intoxicated and leering men. It was like taking candy from a baby sometimes with Nami's negotiation skills and sex appeal. If she had more of a conscience, she might feel bad about it. Gracefully sliding onto one of the empty seats, she flashed her green-haired companion a challenging grin that Zoro answered in kind. He always enjoyed their little competitions. She was the only one on the ship who could keep up with his drinking.

"So what do I get if I win?" Zoro had leaned in close.

The tavern was busy tonight and it would've been difficult to hear him otherwise, but even though his reasons were justified, Nami's heart went into overdrive. She hated that the brute could get her all riled up without even trying. She pondered his question for a full minute while Zoro requested drinks with two raised fingers to the bar keep. The swordsman was grinning and Nami knew that this was just another challenge. If she offered him something worthless as his reward she was admitting that he might actually stand a chance at beating her, but if she offered something interesting it was a show of confidence on her part.

Nami wasn't stupid, though. They had never actually figured out which one of them could out drink the other, and the possibility that Zoro might win was still likely. She didn't have much to offer in reward aside from lowering his debt and that wasn't really a reward. An idea struck her then. Chances were they would be calling this competition a draw like they did any other, so if she offered him something silly than there would be no harm done, right? Maybe she would even press her boundaries with the swordsman and reward them both if this ended in a tie. The navigator flashed him a flirtatious smile and propped an elbow on the bar counter.

"If you win, you can have a kiss," she teased, well aware of the fact that nearly every male at the counter was looking at Zoro as if he'd just won the lottery. For a moment Zoro considered saying no. After all if he said yes he'd be indirectly admitting that he wanted to kiss Nami. He did, but that was beside the point. If he was honest with himself he'd admit that he had wanted to kiss the navigator since their battle with Kuro at Syrup Village when she had taken a heavy injury to kick over his swords.

"And if you win?" Zoro skirted the subject for now, raising a brow in curiosity. She was probably bluffing anyway. He couldn't imagine Nami ever actually wanting him to kiss her. Okay… He could-_had_ imagined her wanting just that before, but that didn't mean it would ever really happen. He hated second guessing himself where the navigator was concerned. He felt like some girl for beating around the bush and having these feelings in the first place.

"If I win you have to be my servant for one whole day. No arguing. You have to do whatever I ask," the navigator quipped immediately as if she'd already thought up her reward a long time ago.

"All I get is a kiss and you get a slave? That's not fair," Zoro frowned, weighing the two rewards in his mind. Nami tried not to be offended by his comment and instead she grinned.

"It's only unfair if you lose," she said hotly and with a raised brow. There was a challenge in her tone and he found himself rising to her bait. She was daring him to say no and admit that she might win. He fought the urge to smile because he kind of liked it when she baited him. Their friendly drinking contest was quickly becoming interesting and Zoro's curiosity got the best of him.

"Fine. Let's do this."

Most of the crew made their way back toward the Sunny as midnight rolled around. The bar would be open for two more hours and Nami and Zoro were still staring each other down while tossing back another drink. They had probably gone through one hundred mugs of ale each at this point, and both Straw Hats could feel the warmth begin to spread in their veins but neither was willing to stop until they won.

"We're closing up shop," the bar keep warned after two more hours floated past.

Both Nami and Zoro were still relatively sober. They could've kept going but a contest without a venue to support it wasn't really a contest anymore. It was with an irritated frown that Nami followed the swordsman out into the chilly night air and huffed as the bartender shut and locked the door behind them.

"So nobody wins," Zoro said with a shrug, masking his disappointment with a look of indifference. He wasn't really looking forward to being Nami's slave for a day anyway and he was pretty sure that Nami wasn't looking forward to kissing him; so Zoro was pretty surprised when the navigator spoke up.

"Or we both win," Nami shrugged and wrapped her arms around her middle to ward off the chill of the wind. Was she actually suggesting that they both get their rewards? If he didn't know better, Zoro would swear that she was flirting with him for real.

"Meaning?" Zoro asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Meaning you get one kiss," the navigator said firmly while thrusting a pointed finger into his personal space, "and you have to be my servant for a day. One little kiss. No tongues and no funny business."

It dawned on Zoro that Nami had probably planned this. He knew she would relish him waiting on her hand and foot for an entire day but his own reward baffled him. She wouldn't have suggested it if she didn't want him to kiss her, would she? Both of them knew that the most likely outcome of their contest would be a draw, so either Nami was willing to pay the price of his service with one meaningless kiss, or she actually wanted to kiss him. Women were confusing. The navigator didn't seem the least bit affected by the thought of kissing him. Her expression was downright casual. Two could play that game, though.

"Or we could just forget about it," Zoro suggested casually as they continued walking down the street, probably in the wrong direction since she was allowing him to lead.

"A bet is a bet," Nami protested with a frown that made the corners of Zoro's lips twitch upward just a bit. She wasn't going to let him back out of this.

"Fine, but don't you dare ask me to be nice to the cook or go shopping with you. There are some things I just won't do."

Nami's laughter was reward enough but the thought of kissing her knotted his stomach in anticipation again. The navigator stopped him in his tracks with a hand on his arm and Zoro had to fight to keep his expression uninterested.

"So it's a deal. Tomorrow you will have to do anything that I ask, as long as it doesn't involve Sanji or shopping," Nami smiled playfully and looked up at him expectantly.

Obviously she expected him to claim his reward right then and there. Zoro darted a look around the empty street as if to see if any of their friends were still hanging around before his gaze settled on her lips. Playful smile gone, Nami fought the heat rising in her cheeks when the swordsman's expression changed from indifferent to interested and then slightly nervous. Did Zoro actually want to kiss her? She figured all of his flirting tonight was just for fun but maybe she was wrong. When dark eyes fell to her mouth, she couldn't help chancing a glance at his lips as well. She could still remember the way they felt pressed against her.

Part of her wanted to find out if the real Zoro was just as good at kissing as dream Zoro. Of course if her dreams were actually visions, then she knew he would be. Another part of her tugged at the back of her mind and told her that this was wrong. They shouldn't be doing this. There was too much at stake. Then the swordsman bent down slightly to close the space between them and that little nagging voice vanished without a trace.

Zoro paused a hair away from her mouth and swallowed. If they did this would things be awkward after? Nami was one of his best friends and even though they bickered, losing her friendship would be like losing a part of himself. Molten chocolate eyes lifted to meet his gaze and softened, effectively squashing his growing concern. Stifling the blush that threatened to color his cheeks, Zoro took a breath and finally captured petal soft lips in a hesitant kiss. An explosion of sensation shocked them both to their toes. An electric feeling started where they met and shot through every nerve ending. Zoro had heard the cliché stories before about feeling sparks during a kiss, but he'd never actually experienced it.

His hands were fisted at his sides to keep himself from tugging the navigator close but he let himself relax when Nami pushed herself up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. _One little kiss_. Zoro smirked before finally allowing his arms to encircle her waist and tug her up against him. Nami breathed in deep, both to still the wild thumping of her heart and to savor the masculine scent that dominated her senses.

Zoro had showered today. She could smell shampoo intermingled with steel. The useless piece of information was all she was able to absorb before her mind went fuzzy. It took most of her strength not to moan because real Zoro did indeed kiss just as well as dream Zoro. The familiarity of having kissed before wasn't there, but the passion certainly was. Zoro tilted his head just a little and swiped a tongue across her lips boldly to ask for entrance. Nami's knees nearly buckled in response. She'd said no tongue but it was oh so tempting to toss the rule book out the window and let go. The rest of her resistance melted when the swordsman's perfectly straight teeth gently nipped at her lower lip and Nami sighed into his mouth in approval. She answered him with a little nip of her own and then parted her lips to let him in.

"Ah…. How romantic, yohohohoho!"

Nami and Zoro both tensed, their lips still joined, before they disentangled themselves in a rush and whirled around to face their accuser. Brook had been playing his guitar a few blocks down and just out of Zoro's sight. He was walking back to the Sunny when he stumbled upon the pair completely oblivious to the world around them and practically making out on the street corner.

"Brook! It's not what it looks like," Nami stammered nervously and shot a pleading look at Zoro to help her out. The swordsman seemed unusually calm for someone caught in the act of kissing the navigator.

"It looks like you were kissing," Brook said with another laugh. He'd be grinning if a skeleton could grin.

"Okay so it's kind of what it looks like," Nami frowned.

"It was a bet," Zoro finally interjected nonchalantly and raked a hand through his hair.

"Ah. You must have won, Zoro-San," Brook observed, causing the bridge of Zoro's nose to darken in a blush. Nami would've laughed if she wasn't so embarrassed herself.

The musician shrugged before continuing on his way toward their ship with Nami and Zoro in tow behind him. Despite the humiliation of being caught, neither Straw Hat felt awkward about the encounter. In fact Nami glanced over at Zoro half way back to the Sunny and grinned in amusement as if they now shared a funny inside joke. She was reassured when the swordsman smirked right back. A bet was a bet after all. They had nothing to feel bad about. Disappointment flooded through Nami at the realization.

Maybe the kiss hadn't meant the same thing to Zoro that it did to her. She shook the thought aside and lifted her chin as the ship came into sight. Surprisingly, Brook kept his mouth shut about the encounter but then again most of the crew was asleep. The skeleton could always blab about it tomorrow. They all went their separate ways once their feet touched the Sunny, but Nami glanced over her shoulder and paused on her way to the room she shared with Robin. Zoro was headed toward the men's quarters but he stopped when the navigator called out to him.

"Don't forget. You're mine tomorrow," she teased.

"Yeah, yeah," Zoro mumbled in dismissal and shoved a hand into the pocket of his pants as he started walking again.

Nami turned on her heel and ascended the steps that led to the Girl's room before she disappeared through the door. Robin had watch over her tonight and he knew that the archaeologist was probably waiting for Nami inside. The dim light underneath the door when he looked back was proof of that. _You're mine tomorrow_. Zoro's smile was mirthless as he ran a hand through his hair again and eyed the door to the girl's room one last time. He was in a lot of trouble, because he knew that what he was feeling for the navigator wasn't going to disappear overnight.

Part of him was beginning to wonder if tomorrow was the only time he would be hers. Maybe he had been hers from the very beginning. Of course he wouldn't be telling that to Nami anytime soon. The infuriating woman already had enough to hold over his head for the rest of his life with that damn kiss. That little lapse in judgment had only left him with more unanswered questions; like why Nami had deepened the kiss. Maybe he wasn't the only one second guessing where he stood in their relationship… Maybe Nami had always been his too.

**[][][][]**

**A/N: **Holy WOW, guys; 22 reviews for chapter 6! You are all amazing and I just love you to pieces. ;.; I've warned most of you in review responses but I'll let all of you know once more here. I'm three chapters ahead of all of you and I'm beginning to near the ending of this fic, so my updates will probably start to be every two weeks instead of weekly from here on out. I just don't want it to end so soon! D: Plus I'm kind of lazy and I've been so distracted with other things. I can promise all of you that I ALWAYS finish the stories that I start, though. Nothing irks me more than getting into a story only for the author to decide they don't want to finish it. That won't be happening here.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU to those of you who reviewed. You're just amazing. I couldn't ask for better readers. Some of you have asked how many chapters SD will end up being. I don't really know, but I'm guessing anywhere from 12-15 chapters. –squeezes you all- You just make my day. Happy reading!

- B.


	8. We're Even Now

**Seven Days**

_Chapter 8: We're Even Now_

Most men would jump at the chance to be the navigator's slave for one whole day. Probably because most men, like the love-cook, fantasized that Nami would ask them for sexual favors or something equally ridiculous. Zoro, however, knew better. He wasn't looking forward to being the witch's slave one bit. But a bet was a bet, and he'd agreed to the terms. Zoro was nothing if not a man of his word. He'd gotten his reward, although he still didn't think that it was an even trade regardless of how much he'd enjoyed the kiss, so it was time for Nami to get hers.

The sun wasn't even up yet when he felt a finger poke at his arm to wake him up. Zoro ignored it, hoping that the offending person would simply disappear and take a hint. The fact that he could smell tangerines and money told him that wasn't going to be the case, and the swordsman resisted the urge to scowl. He was pretending to be asleep after all. An irritated sigh was his only warning to what was coming next. He could've stopped it. Zoro could've easily avoided all of Nami's smacks to the head, but he never actually did. Sharp pain shot through his skull when a frustrated fist came crashing down on top of it, sending the swordsman falling out of his bunk and onto the floor of the men's quarters.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Zoro growled at the slender woman standing above where he was sitting on the ground. The commotion woke up everyone but Luffy.

"I tried waking you up nicely," Nami chirped innocently and smiled.

"It's not even morning yet! What do you want?" Zoro had stood to tower over her, absolutely fuming. He usually wasn't up until breakfast was being served, unless he wanted to get in some extra training.

"Don't speak to Nami-san like that, shit-head," Sanji warned as he climbed out of his own bunk and straightened his clothing to smile at Nami.

"It's morning. The sun just isn't up yet," Nami explained with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes, "which means you're officially my servant. I need you to paint my nails."

Every jaw, aside from Nami's and Zoro's, dropped at the navigator's casually delivered words before all eyes settled on Zoro. None of them imagined he would actually agree to something like that, so they were completely shocked when the swordsman huffed out a sigh and mumbled.

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

Sanji was a mess of broken smoke hearts and whining as he fell at Nami's feet. No one understood what was going on. To clear the confusion and hopefully stop the oncoming onslaught of questions, the navigator quickly explained.

"Zoro and I bet on our drinking contest last night," she said with a shrug. Everyone stared at her in confusion for a second not quiet comprehending what she meant with her blunt explanation.

"And Zoro lost?" Chopper squeaked with wide eyes. It was no secret to the crew that the little reindeer looked up to the swordsman a bit. The thought of their swordsman losing at one of his favorite games was shocking to say the least.

"It was a tie, so we both won. Zoro is my servant for the day as my reward," Nami grinned, her intentions clear. She was going to work Zoro to the bone for the rest of the day, with tasks that he would never normally do.

"What was the marimo's reward?" Sanji scoffed, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Zoro-san got a kiss," Brook supplied.

Sanji immediately began begging the navigator to enter into a drinking contest with him, even though everyone knew that the cook had no chance of winning. Luffy's snorting was the only sound in the room. With the exception of Sanji, none of their other nakama seemed particularly surprised by Brook's confession. It was almost like they'd all expected the two to have kissed much sooner. Stamping down on the urge to blush, Nami grabbed Zoro by the hand and all but dragged him out of the room to avoid the perverted comments and knowing looks from Franky and the others.

Nami was relaxed in a chair on the lawn with Zoro on a short stool in front of her, her feet in his lap. The sun was up by now and the rest of the crew began to stir as Sanji started preparing breakfast. The cook had offered to paint her nails instead but Nami insisted that the cook already did so much and Zoro needed to live up to his end of the bet .

"You already work so hard, Sanji-kun," Nami soothed when Sanji poked his head out of the kitchen in hopes that she might have changed her mind, "I think it's time that Zoro pulled his own weight." She ignored the string of curses the swordsman muttered in response.

Robin only smiled casually in greeting as she passed the pair to settle in her lounge chair a few feet away with a book in hand. It was comical to say the least. Zoro was an intimidating man and made up of grit, determination and solid muscle, but his expression was one of complete concentration as he hunched over her feet and carefully painted her toe-nails.

Nami was surprised by his attention to detail. Not one drop of polish touched her skin. She restrained herself from mentioning that he should do this for a profession, since she doubted that would win her any points for the day. Once her toes were finished, he removed her legs from his lap and settled them on the grass, scooting his stool over to her side.

"Enjoy it while you can," Zoro grumbled at her smile, "because this is never happening again."

Nami only shrugged before holding out one of her hands and wiggling her dainty fingers. The swordsman rolled his eyes and took her smaller hand in his, his grip surprisingly gentle. She knew that Zoro would never intentionally hurt her and again she had to wonder if he might have feelings for her. After all, he could have easily told her no when she asked him to perform this ridiculous task, bet or no bet. Yet here he was, cradling her hand in his palm as he carefully applied soft orange polish to each finger.

"Anymore nightmares?"

Zoro's voice jerked her from her thoughts and bewildered brown eyes lifted to meet his searching gaze. He had finished painting her left hand but he didn't seem to realize he was still holding it, and Nami didn't really want to point it out to him. Considering his question, she shrugged, trying not to think about the dream she'd been having about the swordsman.

"The method Sanji came up with to wake me up has been working well enough that I wake up before anything really bad happens," Nami answered quietly.

They weren't exactly alone, with Robin only feet away and Luffy playing tag around the ship with anyone who would join him. Even though the crew knew about her nightmares now, a small part of her still wanted to keep most of the details between her and the swordsman. She wasn't sure why. Most of the time she would vent to Robin if something was really bothering her. Lately she found herself coming to Zoro. As if just now realizing that he was still holding her hand, Zoro released it and moved over to her other side to finish the job.

"There is one thing that has been bothering me though," she murmured as Zoro reached for her right hand and set to work. A little grunt of recognition was his way of encouraging her to tell him.

"If these are visions of the future, then we should be able to prevent the events from happening, right?" Nami was musing out loud but she phrased it as more of a question to Zoro. Zoro paused in his painting to meet her eyes.

"So why haven't the dreams changed?" she finished.

There was a brief flicker of fear in her eyes as she spoke and Zoro frowned. He really hated seeing his friends afraid. A terrible thought wormed its way into his mind and the swordsman frowned down at her delicate hands before speaking.

"Maybe they can't be prevented… Or maybe we tried, and what you're seeing are the results."

His suggestion made sense, which only made Nami feel worse than before. Maybe the battle she was seeing in her dreams was actually the result of these visions in the first place. It made sense that her friends would wage war with the pirates who had hurt her in her dreams. They would be so dead set on punishing her attackers that they might not even notice when she disappeared to rob the ship… But there were too many holes in that logic for her to be convinced.

"Well, if these dreams or visions actually come true, at least I survive in the end."

Dark eyes snapped up to meet her gaze again and Nami felt heat rising in her cheeks when she remembered that she hadn't told Zoro about the end of the dream. Or at least she thought it was the end, on the night he'd had to give her mouth to mouth.

"You saw the ending? How did you get out of the water?" Zoro's brow was furrowed in confusion, a confusion that only grew when the navigator smiled.

"You save me."

Her answer was blunt but it was the truth. If her dreams were actually visions, it made sense to Nami that Zoro would be the one to come to her rescue in the end, given how protective he'd been from the very beginning. She doubted the swordsman would let her out of his sight for more than a minute until he knew that this was over. Nami could've sworn she saw Zoro smile, but he covered it up just as quickly as it had come with an arrogant smirk, as if to say of course he would be the one to save her.

With her nails now polished and dry, Nami stood up from her chair when Sanji announced that breakfast was ready in the sweet way he always did for the girls, then insulting the men as he informed them as well. Zoro began to head for the stairs but the navigator stopped him with a hand at his forearm.

"You have to carry me," Nami said as if it were obvious, standing there with her hands on her hips and one eyebrow raised in challenge.

"You have legs," Zoro scowled, pointing at the shapely limbs to prove his point. The smile he received in response told him that this was just another inconvenience that came with his new title as her servant.

"My legs are a little sore so I'll need you to carry me for the rest of the day."

Muttering a stream of curses under his breath, Zoro stalked over to the irritating woman and scooped her up with an irritated growl. Resisting the urge to laugh in his face, Nami wrapped her arms around his neck with an expression of complete innocence and gave him a little peck on the cheek, which only served to deepen his scowl and the color in his cheeks, much to her amusement.

"Thanks, Zoro," she chirped sweetly and the swordsman rolled his eye without answering, but she could tell he was more flustered than angry.

Sanji wasn't happy about the arrangement his precious Nami-san and the marimo had going, but he bit his tongue out of respect for the navigator and tried not to overreact when they came into the kitchen with Nami in Zoro's arms. Puffing on his cigarette unnecessarily frequently, Sanji waited until Nami was settled in her seat before he set food in front of her and Robin with a shower of compliments like usual. His irritation showed in the way he slammed Zoro's food in front of him, but the cook still took care enough not to slam it down hard enough to break the plate or spill the contents.

"Your nails look lovely, Nami," Robin cheerfully pointed out between polite bites of food and sips of coffee. The bridge of Zoro's nose darkened just a little but the swordsman hunched over his food so that it wouldn't be noticed.

"Thank you, Robin. Maybe we can get Zoro to paint yours too," Nami sing-songed and Zoro shot her a scathing look in response. She chuckled a little. Messing with the man was just a little too fun.

"Did you want to get started on research after breakfast, sis?" Franky was sitting next to Robin at the table with Luffy on his other side, effectively blocking rubber hands from having access to the older woman's food.

"We can research for a few hours before lunch. I figured after that we could go explore the island some more," Nami nodded, thoughtfully chewing a bite of her eggs. She was dying to go shopping, and even though Zoro had made it clear that he would refuse her if she asked him to do anything involving that particular activity, something told her that the swordsman would go with her anyway.

"Shouldn't we spend the majority of the day pouring over those books?" Usopp spoke up this time with a frown.

"I don't want this thing to disrupt our lives more than it already has," Nami answered after a long swallow of orange juice.

"Your safety is more important than our routines, Nami," Zoro cut in, causing all of her friend's heads to bob in agreement.

"Yeah, Nami," Luffy chipped in around a mouth full of food, his expression serious save for the bulging cheeks.

"We have the dreams under control for now. It's fine," Nami soothed and flashed them all a smile to prove it. They couldn't keep treating her like glass and being cooped up on the ship with the nightmares constantly nipping at her heels was beginning to take its toll. She needed freedom and fun.

Three long hours of more research provided them with no results. The books were outdated since the area of study wasn't very popular and it seemed they would need to find some other source of information. They couldn't go back to Rockwell since the island of stone was behind them and their goal was to keep moving forward, and the chance of finding an eternal pose to point the way was slim.

"Granite Falls is very similar to Rockwell. Perhaps we could ask some of the locals if they've ever heard of something similar," Robin suggested. The rest of the crew agreed and it was quickly decided that most of the next day would be spent questioning the local residents.

Most of the crew grouped up and ran off to explore the island, with Robin and Franky electing to stay behind to guard the ship, although Nami doubted that was the only reason. Sanji attempted to convince the navigator that he could carry her for the rest of the day, but of course Nami reminded him of the bet and the fact that Sanji already did so much for her. In the end she sent the cook on his way, Sanji sulking as he left the ship.

"I said no shopping," Zoro protested when Nami fixed him with an expectant stare. She was waiting by the ramp to the docks with one hand on her hip, clearly intending for him to carry her into town since her legs were supposedly sore.

"You don't have to shop but you do have to carry me around, remember?" Nami grinned when the swordsman suddenly scowled. What could she say, when she found a loophole, she grabbed onto it with both hands.

"Witch," Zoro hissed under his breath but he stomped over to her anyway.

"Brute," she practically purred before he once again swept her off her feet and into his arms. She would've blushed at their close proximity had she not enjoyed pushing his buttons so much.

"I think you're enjoying this a little too much," Zoro commented without looking at her as they made their way into the city. He wasn't sure if he was going in the right direction or not and Nami's fingertips drawing little imaginary circles on his neck wasn't helping him focus at all. She was only doing it to further irritate him and he knew it.

"I have to enjoy it while it lasts," Nami chirped, throwing his earlier words back into his face with a sweet grin, "stop here."

Zoro reluctantly stopped in front of the trendy clothing store and forced his face to remain impassive as he carried her inside. He could see by the looks some of the women were giving him and the snickers from the few men who were sitting around waiting for their spouses, that they were all probably thinking the same thing. Whipped.

He set Nami down a little rougher than intended and felt a stab of guilt in his gut when she winced and glared at him. He really shouldn't feel embarrassed even though carrying Nami around like he was some pack mule was definitely a little humiliating. Packing around a beautiful woman wasn't all that bad, so he couldn't exactly complain. Thunking down into a comfortable waiting chair near the dressing rooms while Nami stacked piles of clothing inside one of stalls to try on, Zoro ignored the knowing looks that some of the other men were giving him. He was content to sit there and meditate the surrounding world away, but Nami's voice calling his name preventing him from doing so.

"Oi, Zoro come here," Nami called out softly from behind the closed door of her dressing stall.

"I'm not getting you more clothes," he barked in irritation.

"Just come here," Nami growled, causing Zoro to sigh and cautiously approach the changing room.

"What?" He had no idea what the hell she could possibly want from him when she was in there most likely either naked or dressed in something from the store.

"You can come in. I need you to zip me up," she said with exasperation. He knew that she was probably rolling her eyes in there.

"I'm not coming in there," Zoro fought the rising heat in his cheeks and the mental images trying to battle their way to the forefront of his thoughts. He'd seen enough of her in Alabasta to fill in the blanks.

"Zoro…" Her tone was frustrated, but he sensed an underlying question and a smile in there too.

It was her way of asking, not telling him. Damn. Sometimes he really hated being soft when it came to the navigator. Sighing, Zoro reluctantly opened the door and slipped inside, not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that she was fully dressed except for the undone dress zipper down her back. Clearly glad to have him there for assistance, Nami presented him with her back and the swordsman placed a hesitant hand against her hip while the other began to tug at the zipper. He struggled a bit when he got to the middle of her back.

"I think you need a bigger size," he mused while slowly coaxing the zipper up inch by inch. He nearly laughed when Nami stiffened.

"Are you saying I've gained weight?" The genuine offense in her voice had the swordsman shaking his head.

"No. I'm saying this dress wasn't designed for your chest," he blurted bluntly just as he managed to zip the garment up the rest of the way and Nami turned to face him, no longer insulted.

"What do you think?" She did a little turn in front of the mirror.

The flowing blue skirt of the cotton sundress caught his attention immediately, as did the dainty spaghetti style straps that showed off quite a bit of skin but not nearly as much as her bikini top did. He kind of wanted to tell her that she looked beautiful, but then remembered that he wasn't Sanji and swiftly bit his tongue, giving her a noncommittal shrug instead as he turned tail and exited the dressing room.

It was early evening by the time Nami finished shopping. Carrying the navigator plus the eighty or so shopping bags proved to be a challenge, and another form of embarrassment, since Nami decided to drape his arms, neck and swords with the bag handles. Zoro managed, though. He always did when it came to Nami. She was only carrying three bags, which were resting on her stomach as Zoro carried her back to the ship. He set her down on her lounge chair once they stepped onto the Sunny and then reluctantly lugged all of the packages to the girl's room. He was ready for this day of servitude to be over already.

Sanji was busy preparing dinner and he could hear Luffy chatting excitedly with Usopp and Chopper at the back of the ship as they played a game of go-fish. Robin was down in the aquarium bar with Brook and Franky was most likely down below the ship double checking on the anchor. After their last scare with the device in the storm, the cyborg had been watching it like a hawk to make sure it never happened again.

Returning to the lawn deck after putting all of the shopping bags in there, Zoro almost knew what was coming before Nami even asked when he noticed her rubbing her calves and removing her shoes. Without a word she dropped her feet into his lap when he sat down across from her and flashed him her sweetest smile.

"I'd like a foot massage, please."

She didn't bother telling him the lie that they were sore because she hadn't been walking on them all day and she didn't need to come up with an excuse anyway. Zoro had agreed to do whatever she asked of him today. Zoro knew that protesting would get him nowhere, and the day was almost over anyway, so he set to work doing as she asked, using his thumbs and applying gentle pressure to the soles of her feet. Satisfaction filled him when Nami closed her eyes and relaxed into her chair. Her sigh of contentment when he moved up to massage her ankles and calves was almost worth it.

Once he worked the knots out of her muscles and turned her into a puddle of blissful Nami-goo, Zoro removed her feet from his lap and lifted her out of the chair and into his embrace. For a moment the navigator didn't know why he was doing it until she heard Sanji calling out that dinner was ready. Leaning into his chest, she watched as he bent down carefully to retrieve her shoes before wordlessly climbing the stairs. She kind of wanted to kiss him again; without the bet hanging between them as an excuse this time. They both knew that Zoro could've denied her every request today if he wanted to, but he'd gone along with her game and even passed every test with flying colors.

During dinner Nami was actually beginning to feel a little guilty. Zoro's reward hadn't really been fair when she compared it with her own. Of course, a lot of aspects of her relationship with Zoro weren't fair. Normally she could care less if they were even, but his unwavering patience with her today continued to nag at the back of her mind during and after the meal.

It was Zoro's turn to watch over her again tonight. Luffy would only keep her awake with chatter if they allowed him to do it, Brook would probably raid her panty drawer, and Chopper needed his rest so he'd be sharp enough to treat her injuries if she sustained any. Nami practically fell into bed when she entered the women's quarters with Zoro. Shopping was hard work. She ignored the various shopping bags strewn around the floor and fell asleep within minutes, still on top of the blankets. Zoro shook his head in amusement before he settled down next to her bed on the floor and set his swords off to the side.

**[][][][]**

Nami coughed against the sudden burning in her chest. Her eyes stung and watered so much that she almost couldn't see. Everything was blurry. Was she drowning again? No… She could smell smoke. The acrid stench filled her nostrils and constricted her airway. Heat seared her face and her entire body ached. This had to be another dream. Zoro needed to wake her up and fast. She was afraid of what she might see when her vision cleared.

She could hear screaming but it sounded far away. Of course that could've been the ringing in her ears but she was almost certain she could hear Luffy's terrified voice somewhere in the back of her mind. She tried to move but she found her legs unresponsive. Maybe she was still chained up. A crackling sound began to grow louder as her hearing finally sharpened.

"Nami!" Luffy was screaming in a way that had goose bumps crawling over her skin despite the heat.

She hadn't heard him scream like that since Kuma had sent them all flying off to different islands and Luffy thought they were all dead. It was a scream of emotional agony, of defeat. His voice was quickly swallowed by the thunderous crackling and the heat on her face became downright scorching. Blinking back the tears in her eyes, Nami found herself staring up at a black sky. Smoke. She didn't have to turn her head to locate the source of sound that surrounded her. She could see the flames towering above her head and licking at the sky above, so close that she knew she'd be consumed in a few minutes if she didn't move.

**[][][][]**

Nami was a little pale when she sat up in the bed, wiping drops of water from her face that Zoro had been spraying her with to wake her up. He knew somehow that this dream was different from the others simply by the way she stared at him in the darkness. She'd only been sleeping for an hour. It was around eleven thirty in the evening and Robin was still up and about, probably reading in the kitchen or the library so they were alone. The nightmare hadn't been particularly frightening, but only because Nami wasn't sure what was happening in it. She knew that it involved fire but Zoro woke her up before she could discover what was going on. Still, the dream had rattled her.

If these were visions of her future, then she knew that something was about to go terribly wrong. Luffy wouldn't be screaming her name like she was dead unless he had good reason to. Zoro didn't ask her what she was dreaming about, and Nami was glad that he didn't. She wasn't really sure what she was dreaming about and she wasn't sure how to explain this feeling of impending doom. She just knew that she didn't want to be alone, and she was glad that the swordsman was there. Scooting over on the small bed, she patted the empty space and had to resist the urge to smile when Zoro stared at her in confusion. He could be so dense sometimes. Lying back down, she turned on her side so that her back was facing him and repeated the gesture.

"Could you lay with me until I fall asleep again?" She felt sort of childish for requesting such a thing, but she needed that little bit of contact to sooth her nerves, "It isn't midnight yet. You're still my servant." She added for good measure.

For a minute she thought that Zoro might protest, but then she felt the mattress dip with his weight and his arms came around her without hesitation. Relief surged through her system in his secure embrace and she curled up a bit so Zoro could curve his tall frame around her, instantly cocooning her with a sensation of warmth and safety.

"You could've said no, you know," Nami murmured quietly and felt Zoro stiffen behind her.

"A bet's a bet," his gruff voice rumbled in his chest and vibrated into her back. She didn't really want him holding her just because of a bet, though.

"You still could've said no," she whispered, knowing that they both knew it was true. His silence was her encouragement.

Turning in his arms, she rolled onto her other side until they were facing each other and stared up at his stoic face. Even in the darkness she could feel his concern. He didn't like her having these dreams, or visions, just as much as she didn't like experiencing them. Without really thinking, Nami stretched to lessen the space between them and pressed her lips to his. To her surprise, he kissed her back, soft and sweet and without hesitation. A jolt of intimate awareness passed between them but they kept the kiss gentle and almost innocent, remaining that way for several minutes until Nami pulled away to rest her head in the crook of his neck.

"What was that for?" Zoro's voice had grown a little husky from the exchange and he felt Nami smile against his skin.

"You were right. Our rewards weren't fair, but I think we're even now," Nami murmured softly before she cuddled into his chest a little more and closed her eyes to sleep. It was an excuse just so she could kiss him again, and both of them knew it.

**[][][][]**

**A/N:** I am soooo sorry that I haven't responded to all reviews yet. ;.; I really do appreciate each and every one of you for reviewing. I've just been busy and sick lately. I know that many of you who read my fics also read the stories written by my lovely beta and friend **Oceanwind** so I wanted to inform you all that she sprained her wrist this weekend and will not be able to write anything for the next two weeks. Thank you all for being patient, and thank you for reading and reviewing. You are all so wonderful, and I will be getting around to responding to reviews here soon. Happy reading!

- B.


	9. The Calm Before The Storm

**Sweet Dreams**

_Chapter 9: The Calm Before The Storm_

Nami couldn't remember a time when she'd slept this well, even before her nightmares had started. She felt warm, comfortable and safe. It was probably because she could sense that Zoro was in the room watching over her. She stretched with a sigh of contentment, only to pause when she realized an arm was wrapped around her abdomen, and heat radiated against her back. She froze, chilled by the thought that a stranger might be sleeping next to her, until she blinked and the previous night came back to her. She remembered asking Zoro to hold her until she fell asleep.

Chancing a glance over her shoulder, she caught sight of green hair and immediately relaxed. It was just Zoro. She shook her head in amusement. The idiot had probably fallen asleep shortly after her. Some guardian he was. She couldn't bring herself to be irritated with him though, remembering the tender kiss they'd shared before she'd dozed off. It was obvious to both parties, though they wouldn't admit it out loud, that the kiss had been genuine. The bet was just an excuse to avoid talking about what was really going on between them.

She turned in his firm embrace, noting the way his grip loosened to allow her to shift. It was a dead giveaway that he wasn't really sleeping. Facing him now, Nami looked over his shoulder to find that Robin wasn't in her bed. Her pillow didn't even appear to have been slept on so she assumed that either the archaeologist had stayed up all night reading, or she'd snuck off to spend the night with their resident cyborg in the library again. Nami wasn't stupid. Although Robin hadn't said anything about her relationship with Franky, almost everyone on board the ship could tell that something was going on.

Returning her gaze to Zoro, Nami settled down once more with a sigh, intending to sleep until Sanji came by to announce breakfast. She was content to share the same air as Zoro, her arms resting against his chest the only obstacle between them. A pair of strong arms tightened around her once she relaxed, as if the swordsman didn't want to let her go just yet either.

"You know if curly-brow finds us like this he's gonna flip," Zoro's voice, husky from sleep, broke the silence, causing Nami to smile with her eyes still closed.

"He never comes in here without knocking first and being invited," Nami assured, peeking an eye open to find the swordsman looking at her.

A sensation of intimate awareness sizzled between them; proof that they had crossed the line of friendship between them with that kiss, and there was no going back. Not that either of them wanted to. In fact Nami kind of wanted to kiss him again, and she was pretty sure that Zoro wanted to kiss her too if the darkening in his gaze was any indication. She was just a little afraid that things would drastically change between them; that their new relationship would negatively impact the crew. Those thoughts stopped in their tracks when he smirked at her.

"Your hair looks like a rat's nest," he teased, ruffling the orange locks to further tangle them, laughing as Nami batted his hands away with a scowl.

"You stink," she scoffed, trying to even the odds and grinning when Zoro glared at her. She knew good and well that the swordsman had bathed the day before but she had to press his buttons.

Okay, so it was silly to think that things would drastically change between them. They were still themselves; still friends. The only thing that had really changed was the fact that they could act on and acknowledge their feelings for each other.

"Go take a bath," she made a show of wrinkling her nose, though the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth made it clear that she was teasing. He actually still smelled like shampoo and metal.

"Go comb your hair," Zoro shot back, laughing when Nami stared at him in wide eyed shock, raising her hands to flatten her hair self consciously.

She moved to smack him in the head, softer than she would have under normal circumstances, but he caught her wrist with ease. She gave him a warning glare before reaching up to smack him with her other hand, only to growl in frustration when Zoro caught that one as well. He rolled on top of her to pin her legs down before she could hit him with those too. It was like he could read her mind. He balanced most of his weight on his forearms so as not to crush her. His amused grin made her want to roll her eyes, but instead she found herself laughing at her own childish behavior.

"Brute," she murmured, fighting the urge to smile.

"Witch," Zoro responded softly before inching his mouth closer to hers.

Nami held her breath, chocolate eyes searching his face as he moved. It would be their first kiss without excuses; their first kiss initiated by Zoro without the bet to justify the action. His breath tickled her lips and his grip on her wrists loosened, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck. Her eyes closed once he was less than an inch away from kissing her, her heart hammering against her chest in anticipation.

"Nami-swan!"

At the sound of Sanji's voice they sprung apart, Zoro losing his balance in the shift and falling off of the bed with a loud thud. Nami sat up laughing while Zoro rubbed at his backside and shot her an irritated look. The swordsman stood and straightened out his wrinkled clothing, raking a hand through his hair almost violently.

"Come in, Sanji-kun," Nami chirped sweetly but with a note of frustration as she perched on the edge of the bed and began putting on her shoes.

It wasn't like Sanji knew what they were doing in her room, but she was still irritated with him for interrupting the moment. Opening the door, Sanji fluttered inside in a flurry of hearts and terms of endearment, murmuring to Nami how lovely she looked in the morning. His smile quickly died when he saw Zoro in the room, though.

"Breakfast is ready, my sweet goddess," Sanji cooed to Nami before shooting Zoro a glare and adding, "Come eat, shitty bastard."

The cook cast the swordsman one last glare for good measure before finally leaving the room. He knew that Sanji was his friend regardless of how often they argued, but right now Zoro wanted nothing more than to slice him in to little love-cook pieces for intruding on his alone time with the navigator. As if reading his thoughts, Nami began to follow Sanji out the door, but she made sure to brush her hand against Zoro's in the process, her shy smile sucked the anger right out of him.

Breakfast was a flurry of conversation like usual, and somewhere amid the excessive noise and devouring of food, it had been decided that they would spread out in separate groups and spend most of the day asking the locals about Nami's condition. Since Granite Falls was so similar to Rockwell, hopefully they'd be able to discover something useful.

Usopp would stay behind to guard the ship, though Nami had a sneaking suspicion that his 'I can't enter this island' disease was to blame. They split into two groups after they finished eating. Robin, Franky, Sanji and Brook would cover the eastern side of the city, while Nami, Zoro, Chopper and Luffy would question the western half. They would meet in the middle around noon to compare notes before they covered the remaining parts of the city.

Zoro was just thankful that Sanji wasn't a part of their group. He didn't really have any real issues with the cook, but he wouldn't be able to really talk to Nami with the idiot flailing around her constantly. Both groups went their separate ways and the swordsman fell in step with the navigator, straying only for a moment to grab Luffy by the cheek when the Captain got distracted by the smell of food in the market and began wandering off.

"Don't go wandering off, idiot. The last thing we need is you getting lost," Zoro barked without any real malice, and ignoring the disbelieving look that Nami was giving him.

"Look who's talking," Nami interrupted in amusement, unable to hold in her laugh when Zoro shot her a glare. "You're both directionally challenged."

She flapped her hand in dismissal when both men began to protest that their navigational skills weren't that bad, but they both knew that without Nami on board to navigate their ship, they would probably—_definitely _be dead by now. The only thing keeping Zoro from wandering off to find a fishing shop at the moment was the lure of walking along next to Nami. She had a way of pulling him in without doing anything, and now that they seemed to have established some sort of romantic relationship, her pull was simply that much stronger.

Chopper was trotting along at her other side in his usual form, and both the doctor and Luffy remained oblivious when the navigator slipped her hand into Zoro's much larger one as they walked, smiling a little as she laced their fingers together. At least he thought it had gone unnoticed… Until he saw Luffy lean forward a bit to survey their clasped hands and then Luffy grinned widely.

"Great idea, Nami!" The Captain laughed before grabbing on to Zoro's other hand, his grip firm and unrelenting even when the swordsman scowled and tried to pull away. "That way we won't get lost."

Zoro was certain that Nami would have smacked her palm to her face in exasperation had her other hand been free, but Chopper had decided that the idea had merit as well and slipped his little hoof into the navigator's free hand. The residents didn't say anything about the group holding hands while walking the streets, but heads turned and eyes stared and Zoro had to fight the burn of embarrassment in his face, again trying to pull his hand from Luffy's. The Captain just grinned over at him and tightened his grip that much more. Shaking his head in slight disbelief, Zoro suddenly laughed. This was the man who would become King of the Pirates; the man who could defeat any enemy he resolved himself to beat, and still he could be so childlike. And Zoro loved him for it; his irritating, immature, fiercely loyal best friend. His Captain.

"You're an idiot," Zoro smirked. Luffy grinned wickedly back and with a shrug attempted to pull the group to a food stand that had tons of meat on display.

Granite Falls was a little bigger than they'd thought. Apparently another city stood just on the other side of the mountain peaks, and their one day excursion had quickly become a two day job. Not to be deterred by the information, Nami's group set to work questioning the residents. Luffy wasn't much help, but the younger man would be given credit for trying. It wasn't that he wasn't asking questions; rather that he was asking them in pure Luffy fashion.

"Hey, old guy," Luffy called out to one of the middle-aged residents, "do you know what's causing Nami's bad dreams?"

Zoro rolled his eye since he was within earshot of the Captain.

"You have to be more specific, Luffy," Zoro chastised before turning back to the woman he'd been questioning, "Oi, do you know what's been causing our navigator's nightmares?"

A hard smack to the back of both their heads interrupted them from their interrogations and both men looked up to see Nami sighing in irritation, one hand pressed against her face.

"You guys are hopeless," she murmured, but the smile she was trying to hide was proof that she wasn't really angry.

"Nightmares that cause physical injuries? Oh my, that is frightening," gasped a young woman, catching the trio's attention. She was speaking to Chopper, her toddler aged daughter peeking out from behind the skirt of her dress.

"Mom, the raccoon dog is talking," the adorable little three year old mumbled with wide fascinated eyes.

"I'm a reindeer!" Chopper growled, growing even more irritated when the little girl laughed in response.

"He's so cute! Can we keep him?" she continued, waving around a half eaten stick of cotton candy to lure the potential pet in closer.

Chopper paused in his frustrated ranting and eyed the cotton candy with longing, taking a step closer to the girl before Nami stepped in.

"I'm sorry but he's our ship's doctor and we need him," Nami told the little girl sweetly, blocking Chopper's view of his favorite treat with her body. As if the interaction had jogged her memory, the girl's mother pressed a finger against her lips in thought.

"You know I think I've heard of dreams that cause physical harm before… I'm almost certain that Kale used to tell stories about that," the woman thought out loud.

"Kale?" Nami questioned, digging for an answer that seemed to be within reach.

"Mmm," the girl's mother nodded, "he's the owner of the tavern in Boulder, the city on the other side of the mountain."

Nami wanted to roll her eyes. She understood that this island, much like the last, made most of their money from the stone and precious gems that covered the island, but all of these rock names were getting a bit ridiculous. Still, they had a new lead, and Nami flashed the woman a grateful smile.

"Thank you," the navigator said before returning to the spot where she'd left Luffy and Zoro, relieved to find the men still standing there instead of getting sidetracked.

They had about two hours left before they were to meet up in the middle with Robin's group, so the four of them headed for the center of the city and continued their hunt for answers. Most of the residents on this side of the mountain were the same age, if not only a few years older, than Zoro, with very young children. They were young couples and families just starting out, and Nami doubted that they would find much information here. Visionaries were rare, which meant that their best bet was in finding older generations and asking them about the strange dreams.

With half of the day gone, the two groups met up in the center of the city. Nami completely ignored Sanji as he spewed out a stream of endearments and babbled about how much he'd missed her. She was more focused on getting a report from Robin, surprised to find that both groups had been pointed in the direction of Boulder.

"Granite Falls is a rather new city that attracts younger generations to settle down and start their lives. I was told that most of Boulder is middle aged or older. We'll probably have better luck on that side of the island," Robin explained while Nami listened intently, "Unfortunately I didn't get any names."

"I have one. Kale. Hopefully he'll have some answers," Nami sighed, rubbing circles into her throbbing temples with her fingers.

"How long would it take to get to Boulder?" Zoro interrupted, moving over to stand beside Robin.

"Based on the size of the island, I'd say about three hours. We'll have to go all the way around to get to the port since there's shallow rock bed blocking the quickest path," Nami explained, shielding her eyes from the sun with the back of her hand while she looked up to gauge the time.

"It'll be dark soon. We'll be able to dock the ship at port but we won't have time to go into town until tomorrow," she continued, squaring her shoulders and donning her best no nonsense face.

"Let's grab the last of the supplies we need and head back to the ship," Nami shouted so that the entire crew could hear. Her mood improved when they all nodded in agreement and determination. They were going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

Back on the ship, Franky made quick work of lifting the anchor while Zoro and Luffy climbed up the mast to unfurl the sails. Sanji had disappeared into the kitchen to prepare dinner, knowing that Luffy would start complaining he was hungry any minute now, and Brook was diligently perched in front of the helm, bony fingers spinning the wheel in the direction that Nami was pointing.

The ocean path between Boulder and Granite Falls was treacherous, with jagged sea-polished rock jutting from the ocean floor in all directions. The path that Nami had chosen was only slightly safer than the other, but as always she guided them through the raging waves and looming danger without so much as flinching. She gave the non-verbal command for Zoro and Luffy to tie the sails to slow the ship as they neared port. The sun had already set and had the harbor not been illuminated by outdoor lights surrounding the city, they would have had to use the Sunny's beams to find their way.

There were other ships quietly bobbing in the water, anchored away from the shore, but it was still too dim, even in the provided lighting, to see if any of them were flying jolly rogers. The crew began to move toward the kitchen when Sanji poked his head out to announce dinner, but Nami fell behind to glance over her shoulder at one of the silent ships anchored at the other end of the beach. A shiver of foreboding tickled her spine and for a moment she simply stared, desperately trying to make out the flag fluttering against the mast.

"You okay?" Zoro's voice broke her from her thoughts and Nami turned to find the deck empty save for the swordsman and her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, unable to shake the sense that something was wrong, "let's go, I'm starving."

They made a plan at dinner. They would head for the tavern after breakfast in the morning to question the owner together. The entire crew needed to be on the same page before they went their separate ways to get their questions answered. Luffy didn't particularly like the idea of splitting into groups again, as if he could sense Nami's unease, but in the end the Captain relented. They would cover more ground in less time if they split up, and Nami really didn't want to spend another night plagued with nightmares. She wanted this over with, the sooner the better.

It was Usopp's turn to watch Nami once dinner was finished, but the sniper had mentioned needing to finish a few last minute inventions before going to her room and Nami wasn't really tired yet anyway, so she wandered off to look for Zoro. He wasn't hard to find. She could hear the weights clanking all the way from the lower deck before she made her way to the trap door and stepped inside the makeshift gym, making a bee line for the bench along the wall and sitting down. She said nothing to him for a while, brown eyes glued to the window where she could just barely see that ship in the distance.

"Seriously, what's wrong?" Zoro growled in slight annoyance, though she knew that it was directed at their situation and not at her, as he set aside a pair of massive weights and reached for a nearby towel to dry the sweat from his face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

The problem was that Nami really didn't know what was wrong. She had no idea why that particular vessel frightened her, so instead of answering she gave him a noncommittal shrug, lifting her gaze to watch in silence while he draped the towel around his neck and moved to sit beside her on the bench. She didn't fight him when his arm came to rest against the back of the bench and brush against her shoulders. Instead she found herself leaning in to his chest, despite the fact that he was sweaty.

"Have you ever just had this feeling that something really bad was about to happen?" she whispered, as if afraid to speak any louder, and tilted her head back and to the side a bit to see his face.

Zoro didn't say anything, but she could almost see the gears working in his mind as memories rose to the surface. He thought about Thriller Bark and the feeling he'd had right after they'd defeated Moria and everyone thought it was over… He thought about Punk Hazzard and the rock that had settled into his gut the moment Caesar suffocated Luffy into unconsciousness, even though the swordsman had been nowhere near the rest of the crew and couldn't have known what was going on. Zoro was no stranger to the feeling of impending doom, and so far his gut feelings had not been wrong.

"Something big is about to happen on this island… And I just have this feeling that we're all going to be right in the middle of it," Nami frowned, wrapping her arms around herself to warm the chill creeping over her skin, relaxing a bit when Zoro's arms came around her too.

"I think you might be right," the swordsman mumbled, resting his chin against the top of her head while dark eyes skimmed the ships outside. He could feel it too, this sense that he needed to keep a close eye on Nami for the next few days… Just in case.

**[][][][]**

**A/N: **Okay first of all, I owe you guys a HUGE apology for disappearing! I don't know how many of you know, but I found out last month that I have carpal tunnel in my dominate hand and have been informed that if it gets any worse, I'll have to have surgery. Writing is a bit tough since I have to wear a wrist brace whenever I type, but I'm managing. This summer was insanely busy but I'm back, and I won't disappear again. You have my word. Thank you so much for being patient and continuing to love this story. I don't know if I could keep writing without you guys. You give me such encouragement when I'm feeling down on myself about my writing. I'm sorry that I have yet to respond individually to the latest reviews but I appreciate them all so much. I'll be responding to them once I get Chapter 10 finished and edited. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and as always, happy reading.

- B.


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